Panthers picked second in the MVC preseason poll; Boffeli, McDermott tabbed Preseason All-MVC
10/1/2024 1:18:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) released the 2024-25 women's basketball preseason poll and All-Conference selections on Tuesday morning. The Panthers were picked second in the MVC preseason poll with 504 total points including six first-place votes. The reigning MVC Champion Drake Bulldogs were picked first in the poll with 566 points and 39 first-place votes.
Grace Boffeli and Maya McDermott were the two Panthers named to the Preseason All-MVC First Team for the upcoming 2024-25 season. This is Boffeli's and McDermott's second time appearing on the MVC Preseason All-Conference First Team after the pair was selected to the First Team ahead of last season. Boffeli was named the MVC Preseason Player of the Year last season as well.
A three-time All-Conference forward, Grace Boffeli finished the 2023-24 season with record numbers including the fourth-highest single-season mark with 12 double-doubles. The Eldridge, Iowa native averaged 14.8 points and nine rebounds over her 26 starts for the Panthers. She finished her junior season no. 7 on UNI's single-season rebounding average list (9.0) and no. 5 on the single-season defensive rebound average list (6.5). Boffeli was second in the conference with 12 double-doubles and 9.0 rebounds per game and recorded double figures in every conference matchup of the season.
A two-time All-Conference guard, Maya McDermott continued her storied UNI career last season averaging a team-high 16.3 points per game over her 31 games and 30 starts. The Johnston, Iowa native led Division I men's and women's basketball from the free throw line last season with a 96.4% free throw percentage, a UNI single-season record. McDermott recorded a total of 506 points, the ninth-best season in UNI history on 185 field goals the seventh-best mark in program history.
2024-25 MVC Preseason Poll
- Drake – 566 (39 first-place votes - 48 possible first-place votes)
- UNI – 504 (6 first-place votes)
- Belmont – 475 (3 first-place votes)
- Murray State - 391
- Missouri State - 380
- UIC - 347
- Illinois State - 341
- Valparaiso - 193
- Indiana State - 189
- Southern Illinois - 167
- Bradley - 97
- Evansville – 96
2024-25 MVC Preseason All-Conference Teams
First Team
- Katie Dinnebier, Drake – Preseason Player of the Year
- Grace Boffeli, UNI
- Maya McDermott, UNI
- Anna Miller, Drake
- Lacy Stokes, Missouri State
- Katelyn Young, Murray State
Second Team
- Jailyn Banks, Belmont
- Kendal Cheesman, Belmont
- Leah Earnest, Valparaiso
- Tuti Jones, Belmont
- Keimari Rimmer, UIC
- Maya Wong, Illinois State
UNI women's basketball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Women's Basketball), X (@UNIwbb), and on Instagram (@uni_wbb). The 2024-25 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.
