Golden Eagle volleyball team tabbed for second place finish

Meffert, Kenline and Lindgren earn all-OVC nods

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Ohio Valley Conference volleyball coaches and sports information directors must have pretty good memories. After narrowly missing a trip to the OVC Tournament finals last fall, the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles have been picked to finish second this season in the annual league preseason poll.

Individually, three Golden Eagle players earned preseason all-OVC recognition, including first-team laurels for sophomore Leah Meffert.

Morehead State has been picked to win the 2008 OVC title after earning a share of its sixth crown last season. The MSU Eagles received 10 first-place votes and 151 points in preseason balloting. With five first-place nods and 129 points, Tech is predicted to finish second while Southeast Missouri picked up four first-place votes and 127 points to come in third.

Murray State earned 120 points for fourth place while Tennessee State garnered the final first-place vote and 103 points to be picked fifth. Jacksonville State (100 points), Eastern Kentucky (55 points), Eastern Illinois (53 points), Austin Peay (32 points) and UT Martin (30 points) round out the the poll.

Morehead State posted a 15-5 league record while going 22-12 overall en route to a share of its sixth OVC regular-season crown. The Eagles made it to the championship match of the 2008 OVC Tournament with a marathon, five-game win over Tech in the semifinals before falling to Tennessee State in five games in the championship bout. Morehead State returns six starters from last year's team, including preseason All-OVC first team selections Erin Peak and Katelyn Barbour.

The 14-member preseason All-OVC team features five student-athletes who were named to the All-OVC squad last year. The first team is comprised of Morehead State senior middle hitter Erin Peak (Georgetown, Ky.) and senior setter Katelyn Barbour (Florence, Ky.); Southeast Missouri junior outside hitter Karleigh DeLong (Corona, Calif.); Tennessee Tech sophomore Leah Meffert (Louisville,Ky.); Tennessee State middle blocker/outside hitter Christian Lowe (San Antonio, Texas); Murray State libero Heather Norris (Naperville, Ill.); and Eastern Kentucky senior middle blocker Amanda Wilson (Euclid, Ohio).

Receiving preseason All-OVC second team accolades are Tennessee Tech junior libero/outside hitter Katie Kenline (Ossian, Ind.) and junior outside hitter Amanda Lindgren (Albuquerque, N.M.); Morehead State senior outside hitter Ashley Doscher (Frisco, Texas); Eastern Illinois outside hitter Alex Zwettler (Madison, Wis.); Jacksonville State junior outside hitter Brittney Whitten (Boonville, Ind.); Tennessee State senior setter Candace Salaeumua (Chula Vista, Calif.); and senior outside hitter Aubrey Dondlinger (Palos Heights, Ill.).