OTAHKIANS NOT PICKED TO REPEAT AS CHAMPS

Despite her team's dominance of the Ohio Valley Conference last season, Southeast Missouri State University volleyball coach Cindy Gannon is not surprised that the Otahkians are expected to fall short of the league title this year.

The Otahkians, who have won eight of 10 OVC regular-season championships since joining the conference, are picked to finish third in 2001 according to a preseason poll of the league's head coaches that was released Tuesday.

Southeast, which posted a 16-0 conference record last year but graduated arguably the league's top two players, is picked to finish third, behind Tennessee-Martin and Eastern Illinois.

"As far as experience and returners, it's probably realistic to be picked third," said Gannon. "You look at the season we had and the people we lost...we have some returning starters, but we have five new people coming into our program and nobody knows these people."

Added Gannon, "But we hope to do better than what we're picked. It should be a good motivator for our kids."

Gannon faces the tough task of replacing 2000 OVC Player of the Year Krista Haukap and 2000 OVC Tournament MVP Lea Beckemeyer off a team that became the first OVC squad to win an NCAA tourney match.

Tennessee-Martin, which finished second in both the OVC regular season and tournament last year, is heavily favored to capture its first regular-season title. The Skyhawks, who return all six starters, received six first-place votes.

Perennial contender Eastern Illinois, which placed third a year ago, received the other three first-place votes.

Austin Peay is picked to finish fourth, followed by Murray State, Morehead State, Tennessee Tech, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee State.

Southeast sophomore setter Emily Scannell was named to the preseason All-OVC first team. Scannell earned league Newcomer of the Year honors in 2000.

Others selected to the preseason all-league first team are Rachel Ahlers and Lindsey Vicknair of Tennessee-Martin; Leslie Przekwas of Eastern Illinois; Amy Walk of Austin Peay; and Amy Almond of Morehead State.

The Otahkians open the season Aug. 31 in the Lamar Tournament in Texas.

Preseason poll

1. Tennessee-Martin

2. Eastern Illinois

3. Southeast Missouri

4. Austin Peay

5. Murray St.

6. Morehead St.

7. Tennessee Tech

8. Eastern Kentucky

9. Tennessee St.