Golden Eagle softball team picked for third in preseason OVC poll
January 21, 2010

Golden Eagle softball team picked for third in preseason OVC poll

The Tennessee Tech softball team is picked in a tie for third in the annual preseason poll of Ohio Valley Conference coaches.

Season begins February 12-13 in Murfreesboro

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - The Tennessee Tech softball team has been picked in a tie for third place in the annual Ohio Valley Conference poll of head coaches, announced today by the league office.

Jacksonville State has been selected to win the 2010 OVC softball title. The Gamecocks, who won their third OVC regular-season title last year, picked up six first-place votes and 76 points. Last season's tournament champions, UT Martin earned two first-place votes and 65 points for a second-place predicted finish.

Southeast Missouri, which earned a first-place nod, and Tennessee Tech are selected to finish in a tie for third with 60 points while Morehead State garnered the final first-place vote and 58 points to be listed fifth. Rounding out the poll are Eastern Illinois (36), Eastern Kentucky (36), Murray State (23), Tennessee State (22) and Austin Peay (13).

Coach Tory Acheson's team is coming off a season in which it finished 26-31 overall record while going 10-12 in the OVC to place fifth. Acheson enters his 13th season at the helm of the Golden Eagles and will welcome back seven starters from last season. Junior Lacie Coquerille returns this season after leading the team with a .320 batting average. She also ranked among league leaders with 54 hits in 57 games played. Sophomore Whitney Cummings also returns to the Golden Eagles this year. She led the team with seven home runs and 32 RBI last year.

Tech's 2010 softball campaign gets underway on Feb. 12-13 at the MTSU Invitational with Conference play starting March 20 against Austin Peay. The 2010 OVC Softball Championship takes place on May 13-15 on the campus of the highest seed.

2010 OVC SOFTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the league's head softball coaches)

1. Jacksonville State (Six first-place votes) - 76
2. UT Martin (Two first-place votes) - 65
t3. Southeast Missouri (One first-place vote) - 60
t3. Tennessee Tech - 60
5. Morehead State (One first-place vote) - 58
t6. Eastern Illinois - 36
t6. Eastern Kentucky - 36
8. Murray State - 23
9. Tennessee State - 22
10. Austin Peay - 13

(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)