By: Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Basketball season is coming up quickly as women's basketball head coach Jim Davis attends the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Media Day on Tuesday. It's just less than three weeks now until the Golden Eagles open with their first game of the season, and Coach Davis along with all the other conference men and women's head coaches went over to Nashville to discuss their upcoming seasons.
"It's always an exciting and fun time," Coach Davis said. "It's nice to be able to visit with our peers and the commissioner did a great job today talking about the state basketball is in, in the OVC. We also get the chance to interact with the men's side which we don't really get the opportunity to do during the season. But it's always a good time and Kyle (OVC assistant commissioner) and Heather (OVC Director of Media Relations) do a great job of organizing this event and bringing exposure to the league and the teams."
Tech returns seven players to the roster including Samaria Howard and Hannah Goolsby who are expected to lead the way for the Golden Eagles this season. Howard was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Team this year, as well as earned a place on the all-OVC second team and All-Newcomer team last season. In the 2014-15 season, Howard served as Tech's leading scorer averaging 15.6 points per game and boasting a 81.2-free throw percentage and 40.2-percentage from the field. Goolsby serves as another sharp shooter on the Golden Eagle squad putting up a 37.1-three-point-percentage and a 31-field goal percentage.
In a vote amongst OVC head women's basketball coaches and sports information directors, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (SIUE) was voted favorite to win the 2015-16 Ohio Valley Conference women's basketball title.
The Cougars earned 226 points, including 10 first-place votes while UT Martin is selected to finish second with 213 points garnering 10 first-place nods. Belmont picked up three first-place votes and 202 points. Jacksonville State is selected to finish fourth with 176 points while Tennessee State rounds out the top five earning one first-place vote and 168 points. Eastern Kentucky is picked to finish sixth with 122 points while Morehead State is selected to finish seventh with 111 points. Rounding out the poll are Austin Peay (109), Eastern Illinois (88), Murray State (71), Tennessee Tech (62) and Southeast Missouri (33).
The 2015-16 regular-season begins on Nov. 13 with Conference play starting Dec. 31. Nine different teams have won a regular-season title with Tennessee Tech leading the way with 18.
2015-16 OVC Women's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
1. SIUE (10 first-place votes) - 226 points
2. UT Martin (10 first-place votes) - 213
3. Belmont (Three first-place votes) - 202
4. Jacksonville State - 176
5. Tennessee State (One first-place vote) - 168
6. Eastern Kentucky - 122
7. Morehead State - 111
8. Austin Peay - 109
9. Eastern Illinois - 88
10. Murray State - 71
11. Tennessee Tech - 62
12. Southeast Missouri – 33
2015-16 Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference Women's Basketball Team
Tiasha Gray, Austin Peay
Shronda Butts, SIUE
Destany McLin, Jacksonville State
Samaria Howard, Tennessee Tech
Shameekia Murray, Eastern Kentucky
Michaela Hunter, Eastern Kentucky
Ke'Shunan James, Murray State
Shay Steele, Morehead State
Sally McCabe, Belmont
Jessy Ward, UT Martin
Preseason OVC Player of the Year: Shronda Butts, SIUE
Photo by Holly Weber, TTU Sports Information
