October 30, 2006
Women’s Basketball
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PICKED TO FINISH SIXTH IN MVC

ST. LOUIS, MO - The Indiana State women’s basketball team has been picked to fi nish sixth in the Missouri Valley Conference’s annual preseason poll as voted upon by league head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives.

Under seventh-year head coach Jim Wiedie the Sycamores return one starter and five letterwinnners from a squad that fi nished last season 27-6, and captured the school’s first outright Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season Championship. The Sycamores compiled a school-record 18-game winning streak during the course of the season and reached the State Farm MVC Tournament Final for the third time in their last four tries.

Leading the way for the Sycamores is the play of senior Rachel Maenpaa, who averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game one year ago. Also back is sophomore Leah Phillips, who connected on 39 3-point field goals as a freshman.
The team will be boosted by the play of junior transfer Angela Phillips, who transferred into the program from Kentucky.

The Sycamores did receive two of a possible 40 first place votes in finishing sixth. Drake was picked to win the league for the first time since 2001. Rounding out the poll were Wichita State, UNI, Evansville, Illinois State, the Sycamores, Missouri State, Southern Illinois, Creighton and Bradley.

The Sycamores will open the regular season on November 14 with a road contest against Iowa. The highlights of the non-conference portion are other road contests at Wisconsin-Green Bay as well as Michigan State. Indiana State opens league play against preseason favorite Drake on December 29. Indiana State opens play this Saturday, November 4 when they host St. Joseph’s (Ind.) in their first exhibition contest of the season. Tipoff is set for 2:05 p.m. (ET).