LADY COLONELS SHOOT FOR REPEAT

Last year was a season of firsts for the Eastern Kentucky women's basketball team.

During a 24-6 season in 1996-97, the Lady Colonels set a school record for wins while capturing their first outright Ohio Valley Conference regular-season title and their first OVC Tournament championship. EKU also appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever.

"We had a great season last year," said EKU coach Larry Inman.

And if the OVC's preseason poll is correct, then the good times will continue for the Lady Colonels this season. EKU was a near-unanimous selection to repeat as league champion, picking up 17 first-place votes during a preseason poll of the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

While Inman believes his squad should be solid, he realizes it won't be easy to repeat.

"We know everybody will be shooting for us," he said. "It's tough to get there, but it's a whole lot tougher to stay there."

Perennial conference power Tennessee Tech earned the other three first-place votes in the preseason poll and was chosen second. The Golden Eaglettes lost to EKU in last year's OVC Tournament championship game.

Austin Peay, which tied Tech for second place last year, was chosen third, with Middle Tennessee picked fourth.

Eastern Illinois was selected fifth, followed by Tennessee State, Murray State, Tennessee-Martin, Morehead State and Southeast Missouri State.

Following is a brief look at all the OVC squads, in the order of how they were picked to finish. Last year's overall and conference records are in parentheses.

Eastern Kentucky

(24-6, 16-2)

Inman has plenty of firepower on hand as the Lady Colonels attempt to repeat as OVC champions.

EKU will be looking toward guard Chrissy Roberts and forward/center Laphelia Doss to lead the way.

Roberts averaged 13.4 points per game last season and was deadly from three-point range, leading the nation by hitting 48.8 percent of her shots from behind the arc. She earned first-team all-OVC accolades.

Doss, one of the league's most explosive players, averaged 12.5 points and 8.7 rebounds per game a year ago. She made second-team all-OVC and joined Roberts on the OVC all-tournament squad.

Forward/center Amanda Browning also returns after coming on strong last year while others returning after solid seasons are guard Trina Goodrich (9.8 ppg), Marla Gearhart (6.3 ppg) and Lisa Pace (6.0 ppg).

Inman believes a big key to his team's season will be how willing all the Lady Colonels are to playing their roles.

"Last year we had a lot of great players that were willing to give of themselves," he said. "We're going to need that again this season."

Tennessee Tech

(18-11, 13-5)

The Golden Eaglettes had a disappointing 1995-96 season, but they returned to their winning ways last year. That trend should continue this season as coach Bill Worrell welcomes back eight returning letterwinners.

Sophomore center Diane Seng returns to lead Tech after a sensational rookie campaign. Seng shot a nation-leading 68 percent from the field while averaging 22.2 points and 6.6 rebounds a game. She earned first-team all-OVC honors and was named the league's top freshman. She has also been picked as this year's preseason OVC Player of the Year.

Forward Amber Clark (15.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg) was second-team all-OVC last year while forward Andrea Baldwin (6.3 ppg) also returns to give Tech a strong frontcourt.

Becky Clabough (6.1 ppg) returns as the point guard.

"We have a pretty good team returning, but we also have seven freshmen and sophomores," Worrell said. "We're pleased to be picked second. I think it's fair. But it (the poll) means nothing once the season starts."

Austin Peay

(17-11, 13-5)

With a tie for second place last season, first-year coach Susie Gardner led the Lady Governors to only their second top-three OVC finish in school history.

But with three of their top four scorers from last year lost to graduation, the Lady Govs could have their work cut out for them as they shoot for another big season.

The Lady Govs will look to forward Amanda Behrenbrinker for considerable offensive punch. She averaged 17.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game last season to earn first-team all-OVC honors.

Also back after seeing plenty of action last year are forwards Tracey Dreschel (6.7 ppg) and Angelica Suffren.

Several other players who saw limited action last season, along with some newcomers, are also being counted on by Gardner.

"Last year we were picked sixth in the preseason and I thought that was wonderful because I thought we could do better than that," said Gardner. "This year we're picked third and I'm scared to death. I don't know why we were picked third."

Middle Tennessee

(10-20, 7-11)

After winning 19 or more games the previous five seasons, the Lady Raiders slumped badly a year ago.

First-year coach Stephany Smith, an MTSU assistant the past several seasons, hopes four returning starters and several talented newcomers will help get the Lady Raiders back on the right track.

Center Jonelda Buck (13.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg) heads up the returnees. Also back are starting guards Cortney Neeley (9.9 ppg, 4.8 apg), Carlita Elder (9.4 ppg) and Natalie Sneed (7.2 ppg), along with key reserve Tanika Smith (9.4 ppg).

"I suppose I should be a little depressed being picked fourth because it's the lowest we've ever been picked," said Smith. "But coming off a 10-20 season, I guess I should be elated.

"We're looking for good things this season."

Eastern Illinois

(12-15, 8-10)

Coach John Klein welcomes back four starters from a team that finished fifth in the OVC during its inaugural season in the league.

Leading the way for EIU will be forward Barbara Garbova (15.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg), who earned second-team all-OVC honors last season.

Also back are center Allison Lee (11.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg), guard Nora Hendrix (8.7 ppg) and guard Jess Laska (5.3 apg), who led the OVC in assists last year.

"We're excited about our second time through the league," said Klein. "It's a very tough league and we're hoping to be competitive again."

Tennessee State

(11-16, 7-11)

The Lady Tigers return four starters but they'll sorely miss all-OVC player Connie Swift and her averages of 20.4 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game last season.

Coach Teresa Lawrence Phillips will turn to a strong backcourt of second-team all-OVC performer Cari Hassell (17.3 ppg), Tequila Holloway (12.7 ppg) and Tracee Jones, who led last year's team with 120 assists.

Schronda Moore (6.4 ppg) is the top returning scorer in the frontcourt.

"We've been down for a couple of years, but we're definitely not out," said Phillips, whose squad won consecutive OVC Tournament titles in 1994 and 1995 but has struggled recently.

Murray State

(10-17, 7-11)

The Lady Racers have seven letterwinners back from last season but they'll miss all-OVC standout Stephaine Minor, who averaged 19.5 points and a league-high 10.1 rebounds last year.

Coach Eddie Fields will be counting on the likes of guards Bobbie Coltharp (9.9 ppg), Shonta Hunt (9.2 ppg) and Misty Pierceall (7.9 ppg), who is MSU's all-time three-point shooter.

Fields has some work to do with his frontcourt as only newcomers are available at those positions.

"Our guards will be a strength and our post play will be a question mark," Fields said. "But I feel our kids will compete and give it 100 percent."

Tennessee-Martin

(8-18, 7-11)

The husband-wife head coaching duo of Gary and Kim Van Atta return for their second season with the Lady Skyhawks.

UTM, picked to finish a consensus last in the OVC in 1996-97, were highly competitive and wound up in a four-way tie for sixth place.

Six players return from last season, led by center Zabrina Harris (12.6 ppg, 6.4 rpg), forward Becky Crowe (10.7 ppg), guard Christy Hicks (7.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and forward Bethany Melton (6.0 ppg).

"We feel really good about our team," said Gary Van Atta. "Last year we were picked 10th and didn't really know what to say. This year we have a lot better players. We're bigger and stronger."

Morehead State

(12-16, 9-9)

Laura Litter will be taking on her first Division I head coaching job after an extremely successful career at the junior-college level.

Litter will be without last year's OVC Player of the Year Amy Kieckbusch, who averaged 23.9 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, but the Lady Eagles do return seven letterwinners and two starters.

Back after starting last year are guards Allison Osborn (9.8 ppg) and Hilary Swisher (8.4 ppg, 4.5 apg).

Five other veterans return, but only center Tori Crosby (6.5 ppg) averaged more than three points a contest last season.

"I'm not used to being this low in the rankings," said Litter. "I don't intend to stay there, but I can see why we're picked there.

"We might be a little short in talent, but you can't overlook the enthusiasm of our players."

Southeast Missouri

(5-21, 3-15)

Veteran coach Ed Arnzen suffered through by far his worst season ever last year as the Otahkians finished a resounding dead last in the OVC, winding up four games behind the teams directly above them.

Arnzen hopes to regroup this year with nine returning letterwinners, including three starters, and several key newcomers.

Leading the way for the Otahkians will be guard/forward Jamie Koester (15.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg), last year's top scorer and rebounder.

Other starters back are forward Dana Hawkins (8.8 ppg) and guard Sarah Frazier (8.7 ppg).

No other returning player averaged more than 4.3 points a contest, but Arnzen will still be counting on the likes of point guard Moneik Campbell, forward Stephanie Faith, guard Jamie (Wahlert) Neff, center ChyAnne Kapitzke and twin sisters Sherry and Shauna Cook, who can both play guard or forward.

Arnzen is also looking for good things from two junior-college transfers, guard Rusty Sowers and forward Tajuana White, along with forward Kimberly Nicholson, the team's only incoming freshman, and center Annie Struve, who redshirted last year because of an injury.

"I don't know how good we'll be. Nobody knows," said Arnzen. "But I think we're better than a last-place team. I don't feel like we're a last-place team.

"A lot of things can happen during the season. I think we have the potential to be a good team."