Valpo women's basketball graduate student Maci Rhoades (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek [Radford]) and sophomore Allia von Schlegell (Downers Grove, Ill./Nazareth Academy) were recognized as Players to Watch Wednesday as the Missouri Valley Conference released its Preseason Watch List.
 
Rhoades is returning to the court this season after missing the entirety of the 2025-26 campaign due to injury. In her first season with the Beacons in 2024-25, Rhoades started all 31 games she appeared in, averaging 6.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. She scored in double figures on 11 occasions, including seven times in MVC play, and hit three or more 3-pointers five times.
 
von Schlegell returns for her sophomore season after being named to the MVC All-Freshman Team as a rookie. She averaged 11.2 points/game, which ranked 61^st nationally among freshmen, and her 358 total points rank third by a freshman in program history. von Schlegell ranked third among MVC players in 3-point percentage (.352), fifth in free throw percentage (.865) and sixth in 3-pointers/game (1.9).
 
Rhoades, von Schlegell and the rest of the Beacons hit the floor for the first time publicly next Monday, Oct. 26 against Judson in exhibition action, while the regular season opens Tuesday, Nov. 3 at Michigan State. Season tickets and single-game nonconference tickets are on sale now at tickets.valpoathletics.com.