Jones, Cheesman and Banks Named Preseason All-MVC

ST. LOUIS – Tuti Jones, Kendal Cheesman and Jailyn Banks have all been selected to the 2024-25 Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference Second Team as voted upon by the Valley's head coaches, media members and communications contacts. Announced by the league office Tuesday morning, the MVC also released its preseason predicted order of finish.
 
The Belmont University women's basketball team has been picked to finish third in the MVC according to the league's head coaches, media members and communications contacts. The Bruins, who have finished first or second in their conference each of the last nine seasons, garnered a trio of first-place votes and sit behind Northern Iowa and Drake in the preseason poll.
 
The Bulldogs picked up 39 of 48 possible first-place votes as the preseason favorites, while the Panthers claimed six first-place nods in second place.
 
Belmont finished ahead of Murray State, Missouri State, the University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois State, Valparaiso, Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Bradley and Evansville, respectively, in the Valley's preseason predicted order of finish.
 
Last season, the Bruins were picked fourth in the preseason poll before rattling off 26 victories and earning the No. 2 seed for the MVC Tournament with a 17-3 conference record. Belmont won its sixth regular season conference championship in seven seasons in its first year in the MVC in 2022-23, also posting a 17-3 record in the Valley.
 
An All-MVC Third Team and MVC All-Defensive Team pick last season, graduate guard Jones enters her final season donning the Bruin jersey. One of Belmont's top guards in program history, Jones set the Bruins' NCAA era career steals record last March at the MVC Tournament. The Troy, Alabama (Charles Henderson HS), native has amassed 259 steals over the last three-plus seasons and became Belmont's 35th 1,000-point scorer with an impressive outing in last season's regular season finale at Illinois State.
 
Jones has averaged double-figure scoring each of the last three seasons and owns 1,061 points, 296 assists and 430 rebounds. Returning last year following a season-ending injury eight games into her 2022-23 campaign, Jones dished out at least four assists in 23 of 35 games last season. She averaged a career-best 11.1 points per game and finished with 388 points, 136 assists, 115 rebounds and 89 steals.
 
One of the most prolific three-point shooters in the nation, senior forward Cheesman was an All-MVC Third Team selection last season after entering the starting lineup the second game of the year. Shooting 40 percent from distance, Cheesman averaged 11.5 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds last season. The Tampa, Florida (H.B. Plant HS), native posted a team-best five double-doubles last year and compiled a team-best 41 blocks.
 
With a phenomenal performance in the home rout of Georgia last November, Cheesman became the first player since at least 2009-10 to make nine threes and grab nine rebounds against a power conference team. She scored a career-high 28 points on 9-for-15 shooting from deep in the win over the Lady Bulldogs. With 573 points over the last two seasons, Cheesman surpassed 300 career rebounds last March.
 
The 2023-24 MVC Freshman of the Year, sophomore guard Banks was also an All-MVC Third Team and MVC All-Freshman Team honoree in her inaugural collegiate season. A local native of Spring Hill, Tennessee (Middle Tennessee Christian School), Banks was tabbed MVC Freshman of the Week six times during the 2023-24 season and is the Bruins' top returning scorer (12.7 PPG). She reached double figures in 17 of her first 24 games and was one of only 10 freshmen in the nation last season to average at least 12.5 points, 3.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game.
 
Averaging 3.3 assists and 1.3 steals per outing, Banks completed her freshman year with 304 points, 79 assists, 73 rebounds and 31 steals across 24 games. In her college debut, Banks scored 23 points at the Southeastern Conference's Missouri. It was the fourth-most points by any true freshman making her debut last season. Banks also set the program record for made free throws in a game at Missouri State last February by going 17-for-20 at the foul line.
 
In addition to Jones, Cheesman and Banks, Belmont returns junior guard Emily La Chapell, an MVC All-Newcomer Team member last season.
 
The Bruins will feature five newcomers this year highlighted by graduate transfer guards Jacee Busick (Charlotte) and Kendall Holmes (South Dakota/DePaul), who have combined for 1,382 points and 150 Division I starts already in their careers. Belmont also welcomed three talented freshmen over the summer with guard Quinn Eubank (Union, Ky.), forward Hilary Fuller (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) and guard Sanaa Tripp (Covington, Ga.) arriving in the Music City.
 
Since the 2012-13 season, the Bruins have compiled a remarkable 174-35 (.833) record in league play and won 12 combined conference championships, including regular season and tournament titles.
 
Belmont (11) is one of only five programs to have won more than 10 combined conference championships over the last eight seasons. UConn (16), Florida Gulf Coast (14), South Carolina (11) and Princeton (10) are the other four.
 
The winningest program in the state of Tennessee over the last 10 seasons, the Bruins have made six of the last eight NCAA Tournaments and reached the Round of 32 back-to-back years in 2022 and 2021. Last March, Belmont claimed its third national postseason victory in four seasons with a 77-59 road win at Ball State in the first-ever Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) game. The Bruins have earned a national postseason bid in 11 of the last 12 seasons.
 
Belmont is one of only 10 programs in the nation to have won 20 or more games for nine-straight seasons.
 
Eighth-year head coach Bart Brooks has once again put together one of the top non-conference schedules in the country with the Bruins taking on six, and possibly seven, power conference opponents. Participating in a prestigious MTE (multi-team event) for the third consecutive year, Belmont will head down to the Sunshine State Thanksgiving weekend for the second time in three seasons for the 2024 Elevance Health Fort Myers Tip-Off. The Bruins will see Michigan on Friday, Nov. 29 and Virginia Tech or Davidson on Saturday, Nov. 30 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.
 
With Belmont's challenging non-conference slate, the Bruins will face no fewer than 10 teams who won 20 or more games last season in 2024-25. Belmont will go up against nine programs who finished in the top 100 of the final 2023-24 NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings and take on no less than 12 national postseason teams from a year ago, including six who reached the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
 
The Bruins' much-anticipated season gets underway on Thursday, Nov. 7 in Manhattan, Kansas, at Big 12 Conference member Kansas State. Belmont's home opener is set for Thursday, Nov. 14 against Kennesaw State.
 
2024-25 MVC Preseason Poll
1. Drake - 566 points (39 first-place votes - 48 possible first-place votes)
2. Northern Iowa - 504 points (6 first-place votes)
3. Belmont - 475 points (3 first-place votes)
4. Murray State - 391 points
5. Missouri State - 380 points
6. UIC - 347 points
7. Illinois State - 341 points
8. Valparaiso - 193 points
9. Indiana State - 189 points
10. Southern Illinois - 167 points
11. Bradley - 97 points
12. Evansville - 96 points
 
2024-25 Preseason All-MVC First Team
Katie Dinnebier, Drake - Preseason Player of the Year
Grace Boffeli, UNI
Maya McDermott, UNI
Anna Miller, Drake
Lacy Stokes, Missouri State
Katelyn Young, Murray State
 
2024-25 Preseason All-MVC Second Team
Jailyn Banks, Belmont
Kendal Cheesman, Belmont
Leah Earnest, Valparaiso
Tuti Jones, Belmont
Keimari Rimmer, UIC
Maya Wong, Illinois State
 
Ticket Info
Season tickets are on sale now for $199 per seat and include all women's and men's basketball home games.
 
View available seating and purchase your seats.
 
Flex pack plans for the 2024-25 season are also on sale and can be purchased here.
 
For more information, call 615-460-BALL or visit BelmontBruins.com/Tickets.
 
How to Follow
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