EIU Ranked Second, SIUE Fourth in Ohio Valley Conference

EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. – SIUE softball doesn't begin its spring season until February, but the preseason Ohio Valley Conference picks have been announced.

SIUE softball was predicted to finish fourth in the OVC West Division by a vote of the league's 12 coaches and 12 sports information directors.

With the addition of Belmont to the league, the OVC has moved to a divisional format. SIUE is picked to finish fourth in the West Division behind 2012 regular season and postseason tournament champion UT Martin, Eastern Illinois, and Murray State. Southeast Missouri and Austin Peay were selected to place fifth and sixth, respectively.

The voters selected Jacksonville State to lead the East Division with 21 out of 24 first-place votes. The rest of the predicted order of finish is Tennessee Tech, Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Belmont, and Tennessee State.

Voters were not allowed to rank their own team.

SIUE begins its 2013 regular season Feb. 8 at the Kickoff Classic in Starkville, Miss. The Cougars are scheduled to play Georgia State twice, as well as South Alabama and Troy once, during the opening weekend.

The OVC season begins with a three-game series March 16-17 at Cougar Field against UT Martin. The Cougars will play three conference games against the five teams in their own division and two games each against the teams in the East Division.
 
2013 OVC SOFTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

(as voted on by the league's head softball coaches and sports information directors)

EAST

School                                                 Points

1. Jacksonville State (21 first-place vote) 130

2. Tennessee Tech (Two first-place votes) 103

3. Eastern Kentucky (One first-place vote) 99

4. Morehead State 60

5. Belmont 54

6. Tennessee State 46

WEST

School                                       Points

1. UT Martin (14 first-place votes) 119

2. Eastern Illinois (Six first-place votes) 111

3. Murray State (Three first-place votes) 94

4. SIUE 71

5. Southeast Missouri (One first-place vote) 61

6. Austin Peay 30

(*Schools were not allowed to rank their own team. Six points awarded for a first-place vote, five for second, etc.)