Oct. 8, 2008

Preseason Release in PDF Format

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - (Wednesday, October 8, 2008) - The Redhawks women's basketball team was selected by coaches and sports information director to finish third in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll as announced at the OVC's annual Basketball Media Day held today at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee. The Redhawks, the defending regular season OVC Champions, received 129 point which included three first-place votes behind preseason favorite Eastern Illinois (149 points, six first-place votes) and last year's OVC Tournament Champions Murray State (144 points, eight first-place votes).

The Redhawks return ten letterwinners from last year's squad that finished 23-9 including a 17-3 record in OVC play and a WNIT berth. Among the returnees are three starters including two players that were named to the preseason All-OVC team. Seniors Tarina Nixon and Sonya Daugherty were selected to the team by the votes of OVC coaches and sports information directors.

Nixon was a 2008 All-OVC second team after averaging 9.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Nixon has started 83 games during her Redhawk career, ranking in the school's top-ten in career steals and three-pointers made.

Daugherty, the 2007 OVC Tournament Most Valuable Player, averaged 12.0 ppg and 5.0 rpg last season and is the OVC's ninth-leading returning scorer.

The Redhawks join Murray State and Tennessee State to have multiple preseason honorees. The Racers players include Preseason Player of the Year Ashley Hayes and Amber Guffey. The Tigers represented are Kendra Appling and Obiageli Okafor.

Rachel Galligan (Eastern Illinois), Chynna Bozeman (Morehead State), Jolie Efezokhae (Jacksonville State) and Phyllisha Mitchell (UT Martin) round out the preseason team.

The Redhawks kick-off 2008-09 season on November 14 when they take on non-conference intrastate rival Missouri State at home.

2008-09 OVC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Eastern Illinois (Six first-place votes) 149

2. Murray State (Eight first-place votes) 144

3. Southeast Missouri (Three first-place votes) 129

4. Tenneessee State (Three first-place votes) 124

5. Jacksonville State 88

6. Morehead State 83

7. Tennessee Tech 66

8. Eastern Kentucky 59

9. Austin Peay 32

10. UT Martin 26