OTAHKIAN SOFTBALL HAS LOOK OF CHAMPS

Lana Richmond can hardly contain her excitement regarding the upcoming Southeast Missouri State University softball season -- but then you can't really blame the Otahkians' veteran coach.

The Otahkians return all but one starter from last year's team that went 33-23-1 and won its third straight Ohio Valley Conference championship. All told, 10 position players who started at least 18 games last season are back. The top two pitchers also return.

"We are really looking forward to the season," said Richmond, who enters her 16th season at Southeast with a stellar 484-253-1 record. "I'm very optimistic, mainly because of the veterans we return.

"Last year was supposed to be more of a rebuilding year for us but we had a lot of young athletes that came on strong for us. And they're all back, plus we've added some good junior college kids."

Richmond apparently isn't the only one who is excited about the Otahkians. Southeast is the preseason pick to win another OVC title and the Otahkians -- for the first time ever -- received votes in the USA Today national poll. The Otahkians' nine votes gives them a ranking of No. 38 in the nation.

"That's the first time it's ever happened and it's a great honor for our program," Richmond said.

Of course, the coach knows all too well that the Otahkians must prove themselves on the field. They'll have the chance to start doing that this weekend during the rugged SIU Tournament in Carbondale.

Southeast will play five games in two days, beginning Saturday when the Otahkians face Bradley at 1 p.m. and Kentucky at 3 p.m.

"That's going to be a tough tournament, but it will be a good way to start the season," said Richmond, whose squad will have its home opener March 8 against Northern Iowa.

Headlining the Otahkians is center fielder Kim Palmer, the OVC Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year for 1997. The senior batted .395 last year with 10 doubles, seven triples, five home runs and 41 runs batted in.

Also back around the outfield are junior Anne Wilson in left and senior Chris Shetley in right. Wilson came on strong last year and hit .310 while Shetley tied Palmer for the team home run league with five and batted .333 to earn all-OVC honors.

A touted juco transfer, junior Ricki DeArmon, will split time with Wilson in left while senior Melissa Thornton, who started 34 games last season, will also figure into the mix after she recovers from an injury.

The infield, like the outfield, returns everybody.

At first base, sophomore Jenni Gaines will miss about five weeks with an injury. A talented juco transfer, junior Joanna Hicks, will be at first while sophomore Josie Earnest, who started 46 games last year, will also see action.

Sophomore Michelle Frank, who batted .276 last year, and senior Erin Frazier will see action at second. Both started much of last season. Also at second is freshman Alisha Liley out of Jackson High School.

Shortstop is manned by all-OVC performer Jenny Oermann, a slick-fielding junior who hit .317 last year.

At third base is the equally slick-fielding Tami Hebert, a sophomore who hit .280 last season to earn second-team all-OVC honors. Hicks should also see some action at third.

The only position where the Otahkians are lacking experience -- catcher -- shouldn't be a problem at all, said Richmond, thanks to freshman Renee Enos, who provides a wealth of talent behind the plate. Frank will also see action at catcher.

Pitching should be in capable hands thanks to a pair of all-OVC performers: juniors Christine Engelhardt and Debbie Schmelz.

Engelhardt, who is recovering from mononucleosis and is not yet 100 percent, was 11-4 with a 1.35 earned-run average last season as she earned first-team Academic All-American honors. Schmelz went 14-12 with a 1.96 ERA last year.

Adding depth to the mound corps will be freshman Adriene Salerno, who will primarily be used in relief.

"We've got the pieces in place," Richmond said. "Now we've got to go out and do it."

Richmond expects Eastern Illinois and Tennessee Tech to provide the Otahkians' top OVC competition.

And speaking of the OVC, as an added bonus this year, the winner of the league tournament will -- for the first time -- get to host the NCAA play-in series. Last season the Otahkians lost at DePaul to just miss out on qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.

"The OVC has moved up four spots in the power rankings, which says a lot for our conference," said Richmond. "The winner (of the league tourney) getting to host a play-in is big for the OVC."