Coaches pick Otahkians to win league

Southeast Missouri State University's volleyball program dominated the Ohio Valley Conference for a decade but has not won an OVC championship since 2000.

If the league's coaches are accurate, this might be the season the Otahkians get back on top.

Southeast and Murray State tied for first place Thursday when the OVC released its preseason poll voted on by the conference's 11 coaches.

Murray State, which finished fourth last year in what was then a nine-team league, received four first-place votes to three for Southeast, which tied for second a year ago. Both teams garnered 88 points.

Morehead State, which tied for second last year, had two first-place votes and 82 points for third. Nabbing the other first-place votes were new conference member Jacksonville State and defending champion Tennessee-Martin, who received 71 and 69 points, respectively.

Austin Peay was picked sixth, followed by Eastern Kentucky, new league member Samford, Eastern Illinois, Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State.

"It's great that the coaches in the conference have confidence in the fact we have a good program, but preseason polls don't mean anything," Southeast coach Cindy Gannon said. "Murray is going to be tough, and I think the entire league is going to be very challenging. If we do come out and win it, we're going to have to come out ready for every match we play."

Familiar with titles

In the 10 seasons from 1991 through 2000, Gannon led the Otahkians to eight OVC championships and four NCAA Tournament appearances. But Southeast slumped to fourth place in the conference in 2001 before rebounding last season to tie for second with a 13-3 record (the Otahkians were 20-11 overall).

"We haven't won in a couple of years, and it would be nice to get back on top," Gannon said.

The Otahkians lost several key seniors from last year but return four players who saw at least some starting action, led by senior setter Emily Scannell, entering her fourth season as a starter. Scannell, a first-team all-OVC pick last year, was selected to the league's preseason first team Thursday.

Another senior, outside hitter Sarah Frost, made the preseason second team.

"We lost some good players, but we have a great group of returners coming back and a lot of new faces," Gannon said. "Having a stable setter back in Emily is big. I consider that position to be the quarterback of our team."

Murray State had two players on the preseason first team, setter Nikki Wong and middle blocker Abbi Gui. Rounding out the squad are outside hitters Cherelle Lampkins (Morehead State), Erica Gerth (Eastern Illinois) and Sarah Schramka (Austin Peay).

Southeast began practice Monday. The Otahkians open the season Aug. 30 in the Maine Tournament.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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