Four Redbirds Earn Preseason All-MVC Honors; Birds Picked Fourth In Preseason Poll

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Four Illinois State softball standouts were selected to the 2025 preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference Team and the Redbirds were selected fourth in the annual MVC preseason poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches on Tuesday. Seniors Delainey Bryant and Bella Wilkerson highlighted the Redbird quartet selected as preseason All-MVC selections, and they were joined by sophomores Adisyn Hopkins and Paige McLeod on the annual list.

Reigning back-to-back Missouri Valley Tournament Champion Southern Illinois was picked as the league's preseason favorite, as the Salukis received 129 points and four first-place votes. Belmont followed closely behind in second with 125 points and three first-place votes, while UNI rounded out the top three with 121 points and four first-place votes. Illinois State was a close fourth with 115 points. 

Bradley was selected fifth with 101 points, followed by Missouri State and Drake in sixth and seventh places, respectively, with the Bears earning 72 points and the Bulldogs receiving 70. Murray State (58 points), UIC (53 points and one first-place vote), Evansville (44 points), Indiana State (35 points), and Valparaiso (13 points) finished out the poll.

Bryant started and played in all 54 games for the Redbirds at second base in 2024, as she earned All-MVC First Team and MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team honors. The Mattoon, Illinois, native set a career-high in hits (60) and led the team in at-bats (175), hits (60), runs scored (34), triples (2), home runs (6), RBI (26), total bases (92), slugging percentage (.526), and on base percentage (.420).

Wilkerson played in 51 games for the Redbirds while making 50 starts in 2024 and earned All-MVC First Team and MVC Scholar-Athlete Second Team honors. The Mokena, Illinois, native posted a career-high 35 hits, with 6 runs scored, 4 doubles, 2 home runs, and 19 RBI last season as she also recorded 173 putouts behind the plate at catcher with just one error for a .995 fielding percentage. 

Hopkins had a breakout season as a freshman in 2024, playing in 45 games for the Redbirds to earn All-MVC First Team honors at the DP/Utility spot. The Shawnee, Kansas, native led the Birds in batting average at .347 and led all Redbird freshmen in hits (42), RBI (18), slugging percentage (.413), and on base percentage.

McLeod made 41 appearances on the mound while starting 21 games as a freshman in 2024 to earn All-MVC Second Team honors. The Danville, California, native was a two-time MVC Pitcher and Newcomer of the Week and became the program's only freshman pitcher to throw two no hitters in the same season. She finished the season with a 2.54 ERA in 173.2 innings pitched, 73 strikeouts, 2 saves, and 1 shutout.

ON DECK

The Redbirds return to Tampa, Florida, to open the 2025 slate at the USF-Rawlings Invitational on February 6, with a contest against Delaware at 10:30 a.m. CT. The season-opening tournament for the Redbirds runs from Feb. 6-8, and also includes games against South Florida, Georgia Southern, Florida and Michigan.

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