By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – If the Ohio Valley Conference voters' crystal balls are correct this year, the Tennessee Tech women's basketball team could have a very exciting season ahead.
The Golden Eagles were picked second in the OVC's preseason poll, their highest projection since being selected to win the OVC East Division in 2013-14. That season, Tech had 12 first-place votes and 119 total points.
The 2021-22 Golden Eagles surpassed that overall point total, earning 134 total points in the voting, while claiming two of the 20 first-place votes. Belmont claimed 15 first place votes and 159 points total as the preseason ballots placed the Golden Eagles just 15 points behind the Bruins and nine points ahead of Murray State as the Racers claimed three first-place votes and 125 total points.
It's the most points for the Golden Eagles in the preseason poll – as voted on by the OVC women's basketball head coaches and sports information contacts – since 2011-12 as Tech took 13 first-place votes and 193 points overall.
With the second-place prognostication, the Golden Eagles also earned an unprecedented four selections on the preseason all-OVC squad as the quartet of Kesha Brady, Jordan Brock, Mackenzie Coleman and Anna Jones were all named.
It is the biggest convocation of Golden Eagles on the preseason team since 1995-96 as the Golden Eagles had Terrance Oglesby, Leslie Van Winkle, Sheri Lewis and Taryn Slattery on the roster. Tech had three in 2001-02 as Janet Holt, Allison Clark and Misty Garrett were honored before the start of the season.
The selections are well-earned – the Golden Eagles reached the OVC tournament semifinals two of the last three seasons, and with one of the most experienced squads in program history coming back for this campaign, Tech looks primed to make a run for the OVC title this season and try to raise the 19th regular-season and 10th tournament championship banners in the Eblen Center.
Brock, Brady and Coleman became the 31st, 32nd and 33rd 1,000-point scorers in program history, while Brock also took the program record in 3-pointers made with 267 in her career.
Brady, an all-OVC second-team selection last season, finished 2020-21 with an 11.9-point average, shooting .386 from the floor and .776 from the free-throw line. She also had 49 assists and 20 steals last season.
Brock, a second-team selection at the end of the year, averaged 11.2 points, shooting .387 from the field, .347 from beyond-the-arc and .849 at the stripe. She also dished out 54 assists and had 21 steals.
Coleman averaged 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds last season, shooting .469 from the field and .840 from the free-throw line. Coleman also had 28 assists, 19 steals and 37 blocks as she moved into third all-time in career blocks with 133 – 61 behind Tech Sports Hall of Famer Melinda Clayton at 194 and 79 behind former teammate Anacia Wilkinson at 202.
Jones, an All-OVC second-team and all-newcomer team selection in 2020-21, averaged 11.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in her first season with the Golden Eagles, shooting .500 from the floor, .402 from 3-point range and .816 from the charity stripe. She had 59 assists, 12 blocks and 29 steals.
In addition to the four selected to the preseason squad, the Golden Eagles return a talented group of players with experience with Megan Clark, Grace Pelphrey, Jada Guinn, D.J. McFarlane, Maaliya Owens, Madison Brady, Peyton Carter and Ansley Hall, while also bringing in an exciting group of newcomers with Chattanooga transfer Anna Walker and freshmen Reagan Hurst, Olivia Koontz and Harley Paynter.
The poll and preseason squad are released on the eve of the OVC's Basketball Virtual Media Days, which will be held Wednesday and Thursday. For the second season in a row, the event will be held digitally across Zoom.
Season tickets for Tennessee Tech basketball are on sale now. Call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or visit TTUsports.com to order.
