INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference Women's Basketball coaches have released their 2024-25 preseason poll. The Truman State Bulldogs were picked 11
th in the 15-team survey.
Theo Dean enters his sixth season on the bench for the Bulldogs and features the league's Freshman of the Year winner from last season
Molly Joyce. The sophomore started the final 14 games and was second on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game and led the team in steals with 31.
Gracie Neff,
Emma Bulman and
Maddie Niemeier are returning upperclassmen to the squad. Neff is in her third season with the Bulldogs and starting her fifth collegiate year with 103 games experience as a guard. Bulman has averaged just under five points per game in 84 contests and Niemeier will be looked to expand her presence down in the post after averaging 7.4 points and 5.9 rebounds a year ago.
Kaitlyn Patke (junior, forward),
Avery Larson (redshirt sophomore, center),
Bryar Duwe (sophomore, guard),
Lizzie Boehm (sophomore, guard) and
Lexie White (sophomore, guard) all return experience from last season.
Nicky Huss (forward) and
Mallory Ott (forward) are redshirt freshmen in 2024-25.
Newcomers to the team include transfers
Jordan Cunningham from Missouri Western,
Tori Standefer from Missouri-St. Louis and
McKenna Williams from Rock Valley College. Cunninham has played in 118 games for the Griffons and has averaged 5.8 points with 193 assists, 39 blocked shots and 92 steals. Standefer played in 48 games for the Tritons over the course of three seasons and averaged 1.6 points per contest. Williams tallied 8.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and started all 36 games last year as her Rock Valley Golden Eagles posted a 34-2 overall record.
The three true freshmen on the squad are
Sophia Hope (forward),
Katelyn Odem (guard) and
Braylee Rogers (guard).
The Bulldogs won their exhibition opener on Sunday over William Woods (Mo.) 87-53 and will travel to the University of Missouri to face the Tigers on Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m.
The regular season opens on November 8
th with the annual GLVC/GMAC Challenge with the Bulldogs facing Cedarville (Ohio) and Ursuline (Ohio). The home opener is slated for Friday, November 22 against Washburn (Kan.) at 11 a.m.
Lewis (Ill.) University was picked to win the conference with Drury (Mo.), McKendree (Ill.) and Maryville picked in the top four. The Flyers were the regular season and postseason tournament champions with a 19-3 league record last year.
