ST. LOUIS - The Indiana State women's swimming and diving team has been picked to finish fourth at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships, the Valley announced Friday. The MVC preseason polls are determined by a vote of the league's head swimming and diving coaches.
 
The Sycamore women accumulated 40 points and were chosen ahead of Illinois State (35), Arkansas-Little Rock (25), Evansville (18) and Valparaiso (8). Missouri State collected all eight first place votes and are first with 64 points, while Southern Illinois (53) and Northern Iowa (45) round out the top-three.
 
This season, the Sycamores will have a new leader at the helm in Josh Christensen. Christensen comes to Indiana State from Fresno Pacific University where he was the head coach from 2012-2018. He inherits two first-team All-MVC honorees from 2018, as well as six who earned honorable mention recognition. The Sycamores also return last year's 200 breaststroke champion, Blanca Saez-Illobre, and Marlene Pavlu Lewin who placed second in the 200 backstroke. Overall, the Sycamores return 17 athletes from the 2017-18 season.
 
The MVC Swimming and Diving Championships will be hosted by Missouri State at the University of Missouri from Feb. 20-23.
 
Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll:
1. Missouri State - 64 (8)
2. Southern Illinois - 53
3. UNI - 45
4. Indiana State - 40
5. Illinois State - 35
6. Arkansas-Little Rock - 25
7. Evansville - 18
8. Valparaiso - 8
 
For the latest information on the Sycamore Swimming and Diving team, make sure to check out GoSycamores.com. You can also find the team on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.