A look at the Missouri Valley Conference's top six volleyball teams, who are in Omaha this week for the 2009 league tournament. The winner earns the Valley's automatic NCAA tournament invitation:

No. 1 Northern Iowa

• Records: 28-2, 18-0
• Valley Coach: Bobbi Petersen (10th season)
• Top terminators: Shannon Aschoff (3.11 kills per set), Michelle Burow (2.94), Amy Braun (2.66), Bre Payton (2.15).
• Top blockers: Krista DeGeest (1.09 blocks per set), Burow (0.88).
• Top diggers: Ellie Blankenship (5.90 digs per set), Braun (2.96), Payton (2.71).
• The setter: Payton (10.46 assists per set). Know the Panthers: Ranked No. 20 in the AVCA national poll, UNI has won 26 straight for the program's best streak in 10 years. The Panthers went undefeated in league play for the fifth time in school history, but they hadn't done it since 2000.

No. 2 Missouri State

• Records: 21-9, 14-4
• Valley Coach: Melissa Stokes (14th season)
• Top terminators: Calli Norman (3.05 kps), Addie Foley (2.75), Sara Staubach (2.51).
• Top blockers: Bethany Fuller (1.16 bps), Kelley Michnowicz (0.97).
• Top diggers: Cara Hackmann (5.78 dps), Foley (2.54).
• The setters: Melissa Gmur (8.90 aps), Julia Cawthra (4.08).
• Know the Bears: Missouri State has won at least 20 matches in 10 consecutive seasons, the seventh-longest active streak in the country. The Bears seek their fifth straight trip to the NCAAs.

No. 3 Wichita State

• Records: 23-5, 14-4
• Valley Coach: Chris Lamb (10th season)
• Top terminators: Emily Stockman (3.90 kps), Sarah McGee (2.56).
• Top blockers: McGee (1.17 bps), Tokarz (1.07).
• Top diggers: Melissa Granville (4.43 dps), Stockman (3.69).
• The setter: Mary Elizabeth Hooper (11.11 aps).
• Know the Shockers: Despite dominating the league during the previous four seasons, Wichita State's only league tournament title came in 2004. This year marks the first time since 2003 that the Shockers didn't earn a quarterfinal bye.

No. 4 Creighton

• Records: 13-16, 10-8
• Valley Coach: Kirsten Bernthal Booth (7th season)
• Top terminators: Jessica Houts (2.83 kps), Allie Oelke (2.67), Alicia Runge (2.33).
• Top blockers: Houts (1.48 bps), Laurel Sanford (1.30).
• Top diggers: Nayka Benitez (4.46 dps), Oelke (3.27), Sarah Schulze (2.24).
• The setter: Megan Bober (9.55 aps).
• Know the Bluejays: With 3.12 blocks per set, Creighton ranks third in the NCAA in stuffs. Houts, CU's star senior middle blocker, is 10th nationally with 1.48 blocks per set. The Jays are hosting the Valley tournament for the first time in program history. They'll need three wins to earn the league's automatic NCAA tournament berth.

No. 5 Drake

• Records: 22-11, 10-8
• Valley Coach: Phil McDaniel (2nd season)
• Top terminators: Angela Bys (2.58 kps), Alisa DeBerg Roth (2.23), Michelle Reidy (2.03), Emily Heffernen (2.02).
• Top blockers: Reidy (1.03 bps), Heffernen (0.96).
• Top diggers: Alana Wittenburg (5.04 dps), Emily Madden (2.56).
• The setters: Chelsea Lauersdorf (7.49 aps), Caitlin Johnson (2.88).
• Know the Bulldogs: McDaniel, previously an assistant at South Dakota State, has turned around Drake in a big way. The Bulldogs' 22 wins are by far the most for the program since the school's 1996 club went 24-4.

No. 6 Southern Illinois

• Records: 18-11, 7-11
• Valley Coach: Brenda Winkeler (5th season)
• Top terminators: Jennifer Berwanger (3.46 kps), Alicia Johnson (2.49), Chandra Roberson (2.37).
• Top blocker: Roberson (0.99 bps).
• Top diggers: Lauren Blumhorst (4.48 dps), Berwanger (3.79), Johnson (2.78).
• The setter: Rachael Brown (10.46 aps).
• Know the Salukis: After losing to Evansville to end the regular season, Southern Illinois needed an Illinois State loss to earn the sixth and final seed for the Valley tournament. The Salukis have made the league playoffs twice in the past three seasons.

— Chad Purcell

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