ST. LOUIS, Mo. - The University Northern Iowa women's basketball team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2012-13 Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll.

Panther senior Jacqui Kalin was named preseason All-MVC as well. Kalin will return to the court this year after redshirting last season due to injury. Kalin was the 2010-11 Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year and finished that season with 506 points, 33 steals, 103 assists and 114 rebounds.

Creighton has been named the favorite to win the MVC women's title with 26 first place votes. The Bluejays are receiving votes in the Associate Press preseason poll. Wichita State was tabbed to finish second with 12 first place votes and Illinois State rounded out the top-three with two first place votes.

Missouri State rounds out the top-five finishing behind UNI with Bradley coming in at No. 6. Indiana State and Southern Illinois come in at seventh and eighth with Drake and Evansville rounding out at No. 9 and No. 10.

The women's basketball team will begin their season this Sunday, Nov. 4 with their exhibition match against Upper Iowa. The game is set to tip-off at 3:00 p.m. inside the McLeod Center.

School (First-Place Votes), Points 

1. Creighton (26), 382
2. Wichita State (12), 347 
3. Illinois State (2), 323
4. UNI, 272
5. Missouri State, 265 
6. Bradley, 144
7. Indiana State, 135 
8. Southern Illinois, 123  
9. Drake, 121
10. Evansville, 119  

2012-13 MVC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM   
Player, School, Pos., Yr., Hometown (High School/Previous School) 
Jessica Diamond, Wichita State, G, Sr., Houston, Texas (Chester W. Nimitz)
Jacqui Kalin, UNI, G, Sr., Sioux City, Iowa (North)
Jamie Russell, Illinois State, G, Sr., Rock Falls, Ill. (Rock Falls/Wisconsin)
Christiana Shorter, Missouri State, F, Sr., Tulsa, Okla. (Booker T. Washington)
*Carli Tritz, Creighton,G, Jr., Sioux City, Iowa (Bishop Heelan)

*Preseason Player of the Year