Redhawks picked for fourth in OVC

The Southeast Missouri State softball team was picked for fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, which was voted on by the league's coaches and released Wednesday by the conference.

Tennessee Tech, the defending OVC champions for both the regular-season and tournament, was picked by eight of the league's 10 head coaches to repeat. The Eagles topped the poll, followed by Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State.

The Redhawks, who picked up 51 points in the poll, posted a 28-24 record last season and finished fifth in the OVC with a 14-13 mark. The team returns eight letterwinners. including all-OVC selections Megan McDonald, Lindsay Pickering and Michelle Summers.

Southeast opens the season Feb. 17 with three games at the Tennessee-Martin Hospitality House Classic.

OVC poll

Voted on by the league's coaches, with first-place votes in parentheses and total points.

1. Tennessee Tech (8) 79

2. Eastern Kentucky (1) 72

3. Jacksonville State (1) 65

4. Southeast Missouri State 51

5. Tennessee-Martin 48

6.Eastern Illinois 47

7 (t). Austin Peay 30

7 (t). Samford 30

9. Tennessee State 15

10. Morehead State 13

-- Southeast Missourian