Quincy University guard Hampton Williams, right, is one of several new faces brought in by first-year QU coach Ali Schwagmeyer-Belger, left. | Matt Schuckman photo
QUINCY — The reigning Great Lakes Valley Conference women’s basketball tournament champion will have some work to do to repeat if a preseason poll of the league’s coaches is any indication of what is expected.
Quincy University was picked 10th in the 15-team league, largely due to a coaching change and roster turnover.
But if history is any indication of what can happen, don’t count the Hawks out.
QU tied for seventh in last year’s preseason poll, but went 16-4, finished third in the GLVC in the regular season and wound up going 25-8 overall while winning the GLVC Tournament and earning an NCAA Tournament bid. Following the season, Courtney Boyd left to become the head coach at Valparaiso, and only three players from the 2024-25 roster returned.
Ali Schwagmeyer-Belger, a Quincy University and former GLVC Player of the Year, is entering her first season as the head coach, and she and her husband, QU assistant coach Courtney Belger, have pieced together a roster with a mix of area talent and transfers.
Drury was picked to win the league with former QU coach Kaci Bailey entering her third season as the Panthers’ head coach. Former Quincy Notre Dame all-state guard Sage Stratton is entering her freshman season with the Panthers.
Maryville was picked second, Lewis third and Missouri-St. Louis fourth in the preseason poll. Truman State, entering Theo Dean’s seventh season at the head coach, is picked seventh.
Here is the complete poll:
PlaceSchoolPoints (1st-place votes)1.Drury191 (10)2.Maryville1653.Lewis163 (4)4.Missouri-St. Louis1585.Missouri S&T141 (1)6.McKendree1357.Truman State1088.Upper Iowa1019.Rockhurst8510.Quincy8411.
12.Indianapolis
Illinois Springfield83
6013.Southwest Baptist5514.William Jewell2415.Lincoln22