The reigning Great Lakes Valley Conference champion Maryville women's basketball team was picked to finish first in the league for the 2026-27 season, the conference office announced Friday. The preseason poll is selected by the league's head coaches, who, per GLVC bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own teams. The Saints set a school record for wins last season and went 25-7 overall, 16-4 in the GLVC. Maryville won three games at the GLVC Tournament and earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament, the second berth in program history.
Leading the returning players is first-team All-GLVC selection
Lindsey Schadewalt. The junior guard averaged a team-high 14.4 points per game last season with 3.6 rebounds and 46 assists. Schadewalt led the GLVC and finished sixth in the nation in 3-point percentage at .426 percent.
Claire Lueken was named to the GLVC All-Freshman team after posting 11.3 points and 4.4 rebounds a game as well as a splendid run in the GLVC Tournament.
Gracie Gopalan was a second-team All-GLVC honoree after averaging 7.3 points per game while dishing out 100 assists. Maryville added seven new players to the roster for this season, including four freshmen and three transfers.
The Saints play their only exhibition game of the preseason Thursday, Oct. 29, with a game at the University of Iowa. The regular season starts Tuesday, Nov. 10, as the Saints welcome Eureka College to Moloney Arena.
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The complete preseason poll is listed below.
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2026 GLVC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
| Place |
School |
Points (first-place votes) |
| 1. |
Maryville |
186 (6) |
| 2. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
183 (6) |
| 3. |
Drury |
171 (2) |
| 4. |
McKendree |
141 |
| T-5. |
Lewis |
130 |
| T-5. |
Truman |
130 |
| 7. |
Quincy |
114 |
| 8. |
Upper Iowa |
107 |
| 9. |
Illinois Springfield |
98 |
| 10. |
Missouri S&T |
90 (1) |
| 11. |
Southwest Baptist |
60 |
| 12. |
Indianapolis |
54 |
| 13. |
Rockhurst |
50 |
| 14. |
Lincoln |
37 |
| 15. |
William Jewell |
23 |
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