WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 25-YEAR TEAM (PDF)

ST. LOUIS - The 2017-18 season is a landmark one for the Missouri Valley Conference and for women’s sports.  To help celebrate the 45th anniversary of Title IX and the 25th anniversary of women’s sports, the Valley is naming 25-Year Anniversary Teams for each of the Valley’s sponsored women’s sports.  

Team composition for each sport has been determined by a 25-person committee (two representatives from each MVC institution and a panel of five voters from the Conference office).  The team composition includes years in which league teams competed under the MVC umbrella during the past 25 years (1992-2017) and does not include competition from the current season.

The Missouri Valley Conference was founded in 1907 and is the nation’s second oldest Division I athletics conference.   Women’s sports were incorporated into the MVC in 1992, having previously competed under the Gateway Conference banner from 1982-92.   In August 2017, the Conference announced its 2018 Hall of Fame Class, which featured three women (in the six-person class).  A total of 22 women’s athletes, coaches and pioneers have been honored by the MVC as part of the Hall.

For women’s basketball, a total of 49 student-athletes were nominated, and the voting panel determined a ‘Top 10’ from a list of 25 finalists.   Those top 10 honorees are listed below, and the top vote-getter is denoted.

Women’s Basketball (sponsorship from 1992-2017):   12 different institutions have sponsored women’s basketball in the Conference during the past 25 years, including:  Bradley (1992-present); Creighton (1992-2013); Drake (1992-present); Evansville (1994-present); Illinois State (1992-present); Indiana State (1992-present); Loyola (2013-present); Missouri State (1992-present); Northern Iowa (1992-present); Southern Illinois (1992-present); and Wichita State (1992- 2017).  Valparaiso also competes in women’s basketball.   Valpo joined the Conference for the 2017-18 season.

Name	School	Years	Notable Honors
Carla Bennett	Drake	1999-03	4-time All-MVC, MVC Freshman of the Year, MVC Tourney MVP, 2001 All-American
Tricia Wakely	Drake	1992-96	2-time All-MVC, MVC Player of the Year, 2-time All-American
Lizzy Wendell	Drake	2013-17	4-time All-MVC, Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, 2-time MVC all-tourney team, 3rd on MVC all-time scoring list, 2017 All-American
Kristi Cirone	Illinois State	2005-09	3-time All-MVC, 3-time Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, 2008 MVC Tourney MVP, 5th on MVC all-time scoring list, 2009 All-American
Melanie Boeglin	Indiana State	2002-06	4-time All-MVC, Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, 3-time all-tourney team, 2006 All-American
Melody Howard	Missouri State	1991-94	3-time All-MVC, Player of the Year, 1994 all-tourney team, 10th on MVC all-time scoring list, 2-time All-American
Kari Koch	Missouri State	2003-06	4-time All-MVC, Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, 2-time MVC tourney MVP, 7th on MVC all-time scoring list
*Jackie Stiles	Missouri State	1998-01	4-time All-MVC, 3-time Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, 2-time MVC tourney MVP, MVC all-time leading scorer, 4-time All-American, 2001 National Player of the Year
Jacqui Kalin	UNI	2007-13	3-time All-MVC, 2-time Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, 2013 All-American
Alex Harden	Wichita State	2012-15	3-time All-MVC, Player of the Year, 2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 3-time MVC tourney MVP, 2015 All-American

*denotes No. 1 choice in balloting