Led by three returning All-Conference selections, the Maryville University women's basketball team was selected to win the Central Division of the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the upcoming 2017-18 season. Senior Ali Ringering, junior Stephanie Sherwood and sophomore Mary Barton all averaged at least 11.0 ppg last season and return for the Saints.
 
In the newly-minted Central Division, the Saints picked up six first-place votes to narrowly outpoint Missouri-St. Louis. Illinois Springfield was slotted for third, McKendree fourth and Quincy fifth. Drury was the pick to claim the West Division, while Southern Indiana earned the nod in the East Division.
 
The Saints host Webster in an exhibition game, Saturday, Nov. 4, at 1 p.m. Maryville begins the regular season Friday, Nov. 10, with a home game against Grand Valley State at 2 p.m. The Saints also play Davenport Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1 p.m. Maryville returns its top three scorers and eight of the top nine from a year ago.
 
The GLVC regular season will feature a newly adopted three-division format with the familiar East and West Divisions, along with the additional Central Division. The top-eight teams with the most points derived from the new GLVC Point Rating System at the end of the regular season will earn a berth to the GLVC Basketball Championship Tournament on March 1-4 at the Vadalabene Center in Edwardsville, Ill., on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.