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.).
