ST LOUIS, Mo. – Bradley Women’s Golf has been selected as the favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference, as The Valley released the MVC Women’s Golf Preseason Rankings on Friday.
The Braves topped the coaches’ poll with 115 points, ahead of Murray State (100) and Drake (97). Bradley received nine of 11 first place votes in the poll, while Drake and Belmont received one each. The Braves currently are the top-ranked women’s golf program in the country from the Missouri Valley Conference at #154, while Murray State is the second-highest at #188.
The Fall season saw Bradley register a pair of top two finishes and a fourth-place finish in five tournaments. Caroline McConnell leads the Braves in multiple categories, including scoring average (73.80), finishes in the top 10 (three), finishes of 20th or better (four) and rounds in the 60s (two). McConnell won MVC Golfer of the Week after each of Bradley’s first four tournaments. Behind McConnell, four Braves — Jillian Cosler, Alyssa Mixon, Allison Pacocha and Peyton Coburn — have at least two finishes of 20th or better and possess a stroke average between 76 and 77.10.
Bradley Women’s Golf begins the Spring portion of the season at the Rio Verde Invitational in Rio Verde, Arizona, hosted by Western Michigan, on Feb. 20-22. The Missouri Valley Conference Championship takes place on April 19-21 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.