The Murray State women’s basketball team has been picked to win the 2027 Missouri Valley Conference crown. The annual preseason poll, as voted on by Valley head coaches, communications directors and a media panel, was unveiled Tuesday, October 13.
 
The Racers received 41 of 44 possible first-place votes and 477 total points. Murray State is coming off back-to-back regular-season and tournament titles.
 
Illinois State was picked to finish second in the poll with 396 points, while Belmont picked up a pair of first-place votes and 375 total points. Northern Iowa collected the final first-place vote and 343 points, while Drake (317) and UIC (267) rounded out the league’s preseason favorites.


 
The 2026-27 regular season commences on Monday, November 2, with six of The Valley’s 11 teams in action.
 
Highlighting the first weekend of the season is Opening Statement – a two-year partnership between the Missouri Valley Conference, American Conference, Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) and Ivy League, designed to elevate early-season competition amongst some of the top NCAA Division I women’s basketball conferences.


 
The 2026 event will be hosted by Belmont and Richmond. Each participating team will compete in two games over the opening weekend, scheduled for November 6 and November 8. Below you will find the matchups and schedule for Belmont and Murray State – The Valley’s two teams competing in the field.
 
Friday, November 6
Murray State vs. Rice – 4:00 p.m. CT
USF at Belmont – 7:30 p.m. CT
 
Sunday, November 8
Murray State vs. Princeton – 11:00 a.m. CT
Columbia at Belmont – 2:30 p.m. CT