Indians top OVC preseason team with seven picks

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Not only was Southeast Missouri State University picked to win its first Ohio Valley Conference championship Monday, the Indians also had a league-high seven players make the preseason all-OVC team.

In addition, the Indians had another three players earn honorable mention in voting by the league's head coaches and sports information directors during the OVC's media day.

"My assistant coaches have done a great job of finding and recruiting great players," Southeast coach Tim Billings said.

The Southeast offense that broke 28 school records last season has four players on the preseason all-OVC team, led by quarterback Jack Tomco.

Tomco passed for a school-record 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns last year and helped the Indians go 8-4 and finish the season ranked 23rd nationally in the ESPN/USA Today poll and 24th in The Sports Network poll. Tomco made the all-OVC second team following last season, behind three-time league player of the year Tony Romo of Eastern Illinois.

Tailback Corey Kinsey made made the preseason all-OVC team after rushing for 1,067 yards last year as a second-team all-conference pick.

Also on the preseason list from the offense are tackle Dan Connolly and center Eugene Amano, both second-team picks last year.

Defensively, end Ryan Roth and backs Dimitri Patterson and Marco Tipton made the preseason squad. All earned second-team honors last year.

On the honorable mention list are offensive guard Dan Bieg, linebacker Ricky Farmer and defensive back Mike Miller. Bieg and Farmer were both second-team picks last season.

"All our players selected are certainly very deserving," Billings said.

Bieg, however, remains a question mark for not only the start of practice on Aug. 4 but also the season because of a thumb injury. Bieg, a key member of Southeast's offensive line that returns all of its starters, had surgery on the thumb after last season, but Billings said the thumb hasn't healed properly.

"He's going to get it checked out again, but we really don't know if he'll be able to play," Billings said.

OVC television package includes two SEgames

The OVC will have an all-time league high 15 games televised this season and Southeast will be involved in two of those, both at Houck Stadium.

Southeast's Sept. 6 contest against Southern Illinois will be televised on Fox Sports Net Midwest and Fox Sports Net Chicago.

The Indians' Oct. 4 homecoming game against Eastern Illinois will be televised nationally on The Football Network, a new cable network dedicated exclusively to football of all levels.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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