Posted: Jul 27, 2011
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech volleyball team was picked to finish fourth in the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference race. The poll was conducted by the coaches and sports information directors from around the OVC.
Morehead State was picked to finish first in the preseason
poll, receiving 192 points, including 13 first-place votes. Austin
Peay came in second with five first-place notches and a total of
172 points. Jacksonville State edged TTU by 11 points for third
place with 141, while Eastern Kentucky finished one vote behind
Tech’s 130 points with 129.
“I think Morehead State is deserving to be picked first,
but that doesn’t mean that they’ll have an easy
road,” head coach John Blair said. “They’ll have
to be ready each week because each team in the OVC will be fired up
to face them.”
Murray State ranked sixth with 102 points, while Eastern
Illinois followed close behind in seventh with 98 points. Tennessee
State (98 points), Southeast Missouri (71 points), UT Martin (45
points) and SIU Edwardsville (44 points) rounded out the
poll.
Junior middle blocker Kelsey Gray made the only TTU appearance
on the preseason all-OVC team. Last season, Gray finished with 126
total blocks (1.06 bps) and 270 kills (2.35 kps), while hitting at
a .259 clip.
“Kelsey Gray being selected is a well-deserved
honor,” Blair said. “She showed herself to be one of
the up and coming players last season, who can make an impact on
both sides of the net.”
The Golden Eagles begin their 2011 season August 26, at the
Georgia Tech Invitational, as they take on Louisville.
Rank
Team(First-Place
Votes)
Points
1
Morehead
State(13)
192
2
Austin
Peay(5)
172
3
Jacksonville
State(3)
141
4
Tennessee
Tech(1)
130
5
Eastern Kentucky
129
6
Murray
State
102
7
Eastern
Illinois
98
8
Tennessee
State
85
9
Southeast
Missouri
71
10
UT Martin
45
11
SIU
Edwardsville
44
Player
School
Pos.
Cl.
Ht.
Hometown
Nikki
Doyle
Austin
Peay
OH
Jr.
5-11 Santa Maria,
Calif.
Shaquita Williams
Tennessee
State MB/OH
Sr.
6-0
Huntsville, Ala.
Ellie
Robertson
Morehead State
OH
Jr.
6-2
Louisville, Ky.
Emma
Keough
Morehead State
MB
R-Sr.
5-11 Batavia,
Ohio
Kelsey
Gray
Tennessee Tech
MB
Jr.
6-2
Newark, Ohio
Chrissie
Albers
Eastern Illinois S
Sr.
6-0
Springfield, Ill.
Kasey
Elswick
UT
Martin
L/DS
Jr.
5-7
Louisville, Ky.
Jen Meyer
Jacksonville State
OH
Jr.
6-1
Maineville, Ohio
Ashley
Edmond
Eastern Kentucky
OH
So.
6-0 Michigan
City, Ind.
Reynae Hutchison
Eastern Illinois
OH
So.
5-11 Mattoon,
Ill.
Emily
Coon
Southeast Missouri
MB
So.
6-2
Imperial, Mo.
Kayleah
Sauer
Murray State
L
Sr.
5-7
Louisville, Ky.
Annie Gruenschlaeger Morehead
State
MB
Jr.
6-4 Ft.
Thomas, Ky.
Ashley
Doherty
UT
Martin
MB
Sr.
5-11 Crystal Lake,
Ill.