When evaluating the 2001-02 Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll of coaches, media and media relations contacts, coach Jenny Yopps Illinois State team is turning back the clock three years to look at the 1998-99 Evansville Purple Aces.
There are many similarities.
both teams were picked ninth.
both teams finished 10th the previous year.
both coaches (former UE coach Kathi Bennett and Yopp) were third-year coaches at their schools.
So, what makes this comparison so attractive to the Redbirds? Just look what Bennetts 1998-99 Aces accomplished.
UE finished fourth in the regular-season with 10 more league wins (11-7) and 13 more overall wins (19-12) than the year before.
UE won the 1999 State Farm-Missouri Valley Conference Tournament--the lowest seed ever to win the tourney--earning an NCAA bid in the process.
Both were relatively young teams -- UE still has five players on its roster from that team; Illinois State has five freshmen and five sophomores on its 13-player roster.
Yopp believes her Redbirds, who play their first public scrimmage Saturday night immediately following the volleyball match (approximately 8 p.m.), have what it takes to have that kind of season.
The three things that give us confidence are our work ethic, our realistic approach to roles and our passion for the game, said Yopp. I think this team is developing a stick-together-no-matter-what mentality.
Drake was a unanimous choice to win the Valley regular-season title, followed by Southwest Missouri State, Northern Iowa and that Evansville team which surprised the league three years ago.
But Yopp cautions against the Redbirds believing they can sneak in on opponents.
We had that underdog mentality before, said Yopp. Now, we have the pieces in place to go places. Its really become up to us.
The Redbirds play their first opponent at 7:05 p.m. Nov. 7 in Redbird Arena, meeting a team from the National Womens Basketball League for an exhibition game.
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Valley Preseason Picks
The Missouri Valley Conference coaches and media picked Illinois State 9th in the preseason poll. Drake received all 37 first-place votes.
Rank, Team Pts.
1. Drake (37) 370
2. SMS 306
3. Northern Iowa 283
4. Evansville 259
5. Wichita State 233
6. Creighton 195
7. Indiana State 125
8. Bradley 123
9. Illinois State 88
10. Southern Illinois 53
Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Team
Name, Yr., Pos. Institution
Sara Bailey, Jr., G Bradley
Carla Bennett, Jr., C Drake
Angela Buckner, So., C Wichita State
Shyla McKibbon-Puelston, Sr., C Evansville
Jennifer Kaczka, Sr., F Wichita State
Abbi Schutte, Sr., C Northern Iowa
Stephanie Schmitz, Sr., G Drake
