Pre-Season All-OVC Release (PDF)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Eastern Illinois has been picked to win the 2010-11 Ohio Valley Conference women's basketball title in a preseason poll of the league's head coaches and sports information directors, as announced in Nashville earlier today.
The Panthers earned 151 points, including 10 first-place votes, while Morehead State is selected to finish second garnering seven first-place nods and 137 points. Austin Peay picked up 120 points and the final three first-place votes for a predicted third place finish followed by Tennessee Tech with 117 points to finish fourth.
Rounding out the poll are UT Martin (97 points), Murray State (83 points), Eastern Kentucky (79 points), Tennessee State (45 points), Jacksonville State (31 points) and Southeast Missouri (30 points).
Eastern Illinois is coming off a season in which it went 23-11 overall and 16-2 in conference play en route to its first OVC regular-season title. The Panthers made their third straight trip championship game of the league tournament, where they lost to Austin Peay, 69-60.
With its 23 victories last year, Eastern Illinois produced back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since joining the league in 1996. Head coach Brady Sallee enters his seventh season at the helm of the Panthers and returns a pair of starters among six letterwinners from a year ago.
Among the top returnees is sophomore guard, and Preseason All-OVC Team honoree, Ta'Kenya Nixon. The Michigan City, Ind., native was the first player in conference history to earn both the OVC 'Freshman of the Year' and Defensive 'Player of the Year' award in the same season. In addition, she was also named to the All-OVC first team. Nixon led the league with 2.1 steals per game while ranking in the top 10 in scoring (12.4 ppg), rebounds (6.8 rpg), field goal percentage (.471), assists (4.9 apg) and free throw percentage.
The Panthers officially open the 2010-11 campaign on November 12, traveling to Western Michigan, with the EIU home opener just two days later on Nov. 14 against Missouri. OVC action is set to begin on December 2.
2010-11 OVC Women's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Eastern Illinois (10 first-place votes) - 151
2. Morehead State (7) - 147
3. Austin Peay (3) - 120
4. Tennessee Tech - 117
5. UT Martin - 97
6. Murray State - 83
7. Eastern Kentucky - 79
8. Tennessee State - 45
9. Jacksonville State - 31
10. Southeast Missouri - 30
2010-11 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Team
Chynna Bozeman, Morehead State
Ta'Kenya Nixon, Eastern Illinois
Tacarra Hayes, Tennessee Tech
Alex Jones, Eastern Kentucky
Alecia Weatherly, UT Martin
Kellie Cook, Tennessee Tech
Jasmine Rayner, Austin Peay
Rachael Isom, Murray State
Courtney Lumpkin, Morehead State
Brittany Wiley, Jacksonville State
Preseason OVC Player of the Year: Chynna Bozeman, Morehead State
