ST. LOUIS – For the first time on record, the Drake University men’s basketball team is the preseason favorite in the annual Missouri Valley Conference poll as voted on by the league’s coaches, sports information directors and media.
The MVC has been conducting preseason polls in men’s basketball since 1985-86. Drake’s previous high ranking in a league preseason poll was in 1988-89, when the Bulldogs were picked to finish third that season. Drake received 29 first-place votes and 411 overall points in this year’s poll.
Drake, which returns five starters, enters 2021-22 coming off a highly successful 2020-21 season where it earned a NCAA Tournament berth for the first time in 13 seasons. The Bulldogs defeated former MVC rival, Wichita State, in the first four for its first NCAA Tournament victory in 50 years.
That’s Drake coach Darian DeVries who says each season is a new challenge.
Roman Penn is selected to the preseason first-team while ShanQuan Hemphill is picked to the second-team. AJ Green of UNI is the preseason player of the year.
2021-22 MVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll Rankings (Points) (First Place Votes)
1. Drake, 411 (29)
2. Loyola, 363 (8)
3. UNI, 354 (6)
4. Missouri State, 325
5. Southern Illinois, 228
6. Bradley, 171
7. Valparaiso, 151
8. Evansville, 148
9. Indiana State, 147
10. Illinois State, 68
