Women's Basketball picked fifth; Martin selected to Preseason All-MVC team
10/17/2019 | 10:00:00 | Women's Basketball
ST. LOUIS – The Southern Illinois University women's basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, the conference announced Thursday. Senior forward Nicole Martin has been selected to the five-member Preseason All-MVC Team for the second-straight season.
Drake, who has won three-straight MVC regular season titles, was projected to finish first, followed by Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Bradley and SIU.
The Salukis, under the direction of seventh-year head coach Cindy Stein, finished last season 15-15 overall and earned the sixth seed in the MVC Tournament. SIU returns 95.3% of its scoring and 94.2% of its rebounding from a year ago, with 10 letter winners back including all five starters.
The returners are led by two-time All-MVC first team selection Nicole Martin and 2019 All-MVC honorable mention honoree Makenzie Silvey. A 6-foot-1 senior from Jefferson City, Mo., Martin averaged 14.8 points on 53.6 shooting to go along with 7.4 rebounds and ranked in the top-10 in the MVC in four statistical categories. Silvey, meanwhile, had one of the best statistical sophomore seasons in program history, as she scored in double figures in 27 of SIU's 30 games a year ago and averaged 14.4 points per game.
In addition to returning 10 letterwinners from a year ago, Southern adds a talented quartet of newcomers to the mix in 2019-20. Freshmen Allea Potter and Frankie Kokkines both arrive in Carbondale after accomplished high school careers, while transfers Awa Keita and Gabby Walker will also suit up for the Salukis this season. Keita is a junior transfer from Cochise College, where she was a two-time NJCAA All-American while Walker is a redshirt junior who helped Lindenwood-Belleville (NCAA DII) win their first-ever conference tournament title in 2018.
Martin was one of five chosen to the league's preseason all-conference squad. She was joined by Tete Maggett of Illinois State, Karli Rucker of Northern Iowa and Sara Rhine and Becca Hittner of Drake. Hittner, the reigning MVC Player of the Year, was once again selected as the league's preseason Player of the Year.
The Salukis open the 2019-20 season with an inter-squad scrimmage that is open to the public on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. inside Banterra Center. SIU begins the regular season on Nov. 8 when it travels to SIU-Edwardsville.
To buy tickets for this season call 877-SALUKIS or visit here.
Projected order of finish:
Drake (359 points)
Missouri State (329)
Northern Iowa (297)
Bradley (255)
Southern Illinois (235)
Illinois State (212)
Loyola (188)
Valparaiso (126)
Indiana State (111)
Evansville (88)
