Jim Jackson: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

• 2012 NCAA Football Rules Changes (PDF)

With the football season set to begin this week, there are several new rules changes for collegiate football.

At the recent OVC Football Media Day Jim Jackson, OVC Coordinator of Football Officiating, discussed some of those changes and the state of officiating in the Conference.

The below video discusses those changes. Also see the PDF at the top of the page that goes into more detail on the differences this season.

UT Martin: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

UT Martin was picked to finish sixth in the OVC this season in the league's preseason poll.

Now in his seventh season, head coach Jason Simpson has never had a losing season in Conference play; this season his squad returns seven offensive and eight defensive starters.

The offense is led by senior signal caller Derek Carr who threw for 2,482 yards and 25 touchdowns last year for the high-octane Skyhawk offense. The team also returns the running back tandem of Jason McNair and Tevin Barksdale who combined for 1,467 yards and 13 touchdowns last year. Returners on the defensive side of the ball for UTM include linebacker Ben Johnson, who had a team-best 96 tackles last season, and space-eater Montori Hughes, who had 30 tackles and 6.5 tackles-for-loss a year ago after transferring from the University of Tennessee.

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Jason Simpson
RB Jason McNair
DL Montori Hughes

Tennessee Tech: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Tennessee Tech was picked to finish fourth in the OVC this season in the league's preseason poll.

Entering last season not a lot of attention was on Tennessee Tech and head coach Watson Brown. But Brown, who enters his sixth season with the program in 2012 (and 28th year as a Division I head coach), led the Golden Eagles to a 6-2 OVC mark and a share of the program’s first OVC Championship since the 1975 season. The team also earned the league’s automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs, marking the first playoff appearance in Tennessee Tech history.

This season the Golden Eagles return seven offensive and seven defensive starters with senior quarterback Tre Lamb leading the way. Last season Lamb completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 2,342 yards and 17 touchdowns and also rushed for an additional six touchdowns. Defensively, Tech had three players selected to the Preseason All-OVC Team, including senior lineman Marcus Edwards, senior defensive back Will Johnson and sophomore defensive back Austin Tallant. Edwards had 9.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks last year to go along with his 41 tackles. Johnson added 45 tackles and an interception in eight games, while Tallant led the team with 92 tackles in his freshman season.

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Watson Brown
QB Tre Lamb
DB Will Johnson

Tennessee State: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Tennessee State was picked to finish fifth in the OVC this season in the league's preseason poll.

After going winless in Conference play during his debut OVC in 2010, Tennessee State head coach Rod Reed got the Tigers on the right track last year, going 4-4 in the Conference, including an exciting 42-40 win over eventual OVC Champion Tennessee Tech.

This season Reed, a TSU alumnus, returns nine offensive and five defensive starters.

The offense will be led by sophomore quarterback Michael German who was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award last season (the award is given to the top freshman in the FCS). After taking over the starter’s role German completed 140 passes for 1,889 yards and 12 touchdowns in helping TSU to a 4-2 record down the stretch. Junior defensive end Antonio Harper earned a spot on the Preseason All-OVC team this season after registering 44 tackles, 9.0 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks a season ago. Sophomore return specialist Weldon Garlington is one of just two sophomores on the Preseason All-OVC Team; Garlington returned both a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown last season.

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Rod Reed
RB Trabis Ward
LB Wilson Robinson

Southeast Missouri: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Southeast Missouri was picked to finish seventh in the OVC this season in the league's preseason poll.

After winning the OVC Championship in 2010, Southeast Missouri finished 2-6 in OVC play last season under now seventh year head coach Tony Samuel, who won the Eddie Robinson Award as the National Coach of the Year in 2010.

Despite losing starting quarterback Matt Scheible, who became the first player in OVC history to having 4,000 passing and 2,000 rushing yards in a career, the Redhawks do return nine offensive and seven defensive starters. Among the returning starters on offense are four linemen, including All-American tackle Evan Conrad. The Southeast Missouri defensive unit will be keyed by senior linebacker Blake Peiffer who was named OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and is on the Sports Network’s Buck Buchanan Award Watch List (the award is given to the top defensive player in the FCS). A season ago Peiffer ranked third nationally with 13.7 tackles/game, netting 151 total tackles, which set a Southeast Missouri single-season record.defensive unit; Majors finished last season with 88 tackles, ranking eighth in the OVC in stops (8.0/game).

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Tony Samuel
LB Blake Peiffer
RB Levi Terrell

Murray State: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Murray State was picked to finish third in the OVC this season in the league's preseason poll.

Murray State head coach Chris Hatcher has seen his program break numerous school and OVC records in the first two years of his “Hatch Attack” offense. The gaudy numbers have also led the team to wins, as the squad won six games in 2010 and seven games a season ago, marking the first back-to-back winning seasons for the program since 1999-2000.

The Racers return eight offensive and eight defensive starters this season including senior All-American quarterback Casey Brockman. Brockman has put together two outstanding seasons under Hatcher, including passing for 3,276 yards and 25 touchdowns last season (he also rushed for four touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes during the year); those numbers have earned him the nod as OVC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and landed him on the Walter Payton Award Watch List. Brockman has a chance to set the OVC’s all-time passing yards and total offense marks this year. The Racers will look at Preseason All-OVC selection Qua Huzzie to anchor the defense from the linebacker position. Huzzie transferred to Murray State prior to last season and led the OVC in tackles-for-loss (14.0) while also adding 80 tackles and 3.0 sacks.

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Chris Hatcher
QB Casey Brockman
LB Qua Huzzie

Jacksonville State: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Jacksonville State was picked to finish second in the OVC this season in the league's preseason poll.

Following the retirement of Eastern Illinois Hall of Famer Bob Spoo, JSU head coach Jack Crowe takes over as the “Dean” of OVC coaches, entering his 13th year overall with the Gamecocks. Crowe has compiled a 67-34 record since his program joined the OVC in 2003; the 67 wins rank him eighth in OVC history.

Crowe has the advantage of having not one but two returning starting quarterbacks this year, as redshirt senior Marques Ivory and junior Coty Blanchard both return this season. The duo split time in 2010, including pulling off a double overtime win at Ole Miss, but Ivory suffered a season-ending injury in the 2011 opener, leaving Blanchard to start the remainder of the schedule. During the 2010 season Ivory passed for 2,248 yards and 18 touchdowns, including throwing for a school record 444 yards against Eastern Kentucky. No matter which quarterback is under center they will have the luxury of handing the ball off to senior All-American Washaun Ealey who rushed for 1,082 yards and eight touchdowns in his debut season with the team last year. Ealey, who was the leading rusher at the University of Georgia for two seasons before coming to Jax State, was named a Preseason All-American this season. The Gamecocks have a challenging non-conference schedule this year that is bookended by a pair of SEC teams: Arkansas in Week 1 and Florida in Week 12..

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Jack Crowe
QB Marques Ivory
RB Washaun Ealey

Eastern Kentucky: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Eastern Kentucky was picked the preseason favorite this season, marking the 12th time in the last 25 years the Colonels have been picked the preseason favorite in the OVC race.

Last season Eastern Kentucky finished in a three-way tie for the OVC Championship, winning its 21st league title, which is the most conference championships by one team in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) history. The Colonels also received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs, marking its 20th appearance in the event, which is the second most in NCAA history. This season the Colonels return 10 offensive and seven defensive starters from that team that lost to James Madison by three points in the playoffs.

Among the returning starters for head coach Dean Hood is senior running back Matt Denham, who is one of 20 players on the Walter Payton Award Watch List. Despite not starting until the fifth game of the season, Denham rushed for 1,570 yards and nine touchdowns in earning All-American honors. Over the final eight games of the season Denham ran for 100 or more yards in each contest (the only player nationally to do so) and averaged 184.5 yards/game (the most nationally over that stretch). Senior quarterback T.J. Pryor is poised to become EKU’s all-time passing leader this season; Pryor needs just 622 yards to set the all-time record. Among the team’s defensive returning stars is junior Anthony Brown who is making the switch from defensive line to linebacker in 2012. As a lineman last year Brown had 72 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks. Overall EKU had 10 of the 26 total players selected to the Preseason All-OVC squad.

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Dean Hood
RB Matt Denham
DB Justin Bell

Eastern Illinois: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Eastern Illinois was picked eighth in the league's preseason poll this season.


Former Baylor assistant coach Dino Babers was named the 22nd head coach in Eastern Illinois history on Dec. 9, 2011 and replaces OVC Hall of Famer Bob Spoo who retired last season after 25 seasons. It was Spoo who hired Babers as an assistant coach on his first EIU staff in 1987. Babers will bring a fast-paced offensive attack to the Panthers program, employing a style Baylor used to help Robert Griffin III win the Heisman Trophy a year ago.


Junior Jimmy Garoppolo returns for his third season as a starter in 2012; a year ago he completed 62.2 percent of his passes for 2,644 yards and 20 touchdowns. His favorite target from a year ago, Chris Wright, also returns this season. Wright caught 42 passes for 735 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2011. Also returning is wideout Erik Lora who missed all of last season with an injury but caught 50 passes for 478 yards as a sophomore in 2010. The tight end tandem of Von Wise (32 catches, 348 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Sam Hendricks (17 catches, 194 yards, 3 touchdowns) also return on offense for the Panthers. On the defensive side of the ball EIU returns Preseason All-OVC selection Artavious Dowdell, who had 45 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 sacks a season ago.

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Dino Babers
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
DL Roosevelt Holliday

Austin Peay: 2012 OVC Football Media Day

Austin Peay was picked to finish ninth in the OVC this season in the league's preseason poll.

Austin Peay head coach Rick Christophel has 60 letterwinners back, including seven offensive and nine defensive starters, from last year’s squad that was 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the OVC. 


Senior quarterback Jake Ryan returns for his fourth season as a starter after throwing for 1,476 yards and 12 touchdowns a season ago. His favorite target, senior Devin Stark, is also back after catching 52 passes for 622 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Defensively senior safety Antwaun Majors will key the defensive unit; Majors finished last season with 88 tackles, ranking eighth in the OVC in stops (8.0/game).

BELOW VIDEOS
Head Coach Rick Christophel
DB Antwaun Majors 
QB Jake Ryan






 

ESPY's Pay Tribute to UT Martin Alum Pat Summitt

During the 20th annual  ESPY Awards that aired on July 11, UT Martin alum and former Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt was honored for her outstanding career in basketball and fight against Alzheimer's.  Below is the video tribute to Pat. 

Around the Ohio Valley - April 26

There are so many OVC athletes and professionals making headlines, we just had to share in this week's version of Around the Ohio Valley: 

UT Martin's Carter Smith

Austin Peay – APSU Athletics handed out its annual Most Outstanding Male and Female Athlete awards this week, with both awards going to Governor tennis players this year. Junior Sean Bailey, who was named OVC Player of the Year, received the award for Most Outstanding Male Athlete, while senior Vanja Tomic, a three-time All-OVC selection who sported a 19-6 record at No. 1 singles this season, was named Most Outstanding Female. Tomic also received the Female Legends Award as the most valuable senior athlete, with baseball player Greg Bachman earning the Male Legends Award. For the full release on APSU’s athletic awards, see this link on APSUGovernors.com.

Eastern Illinois – Senior Panther sprinter Bridget Sanchez has been named as one of the national finalists for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award, an honor received by ten male and ten female minority student-athletes around the country for their performance on the playing field and in the classroom. Sanchez holds multiple All-OVC honors in track and field, holds a 4.0 GPA in psychology and is actively involved in the Charleston community. Congratulations, Bridget!

Eastern Kentucky – Junior EKU softball player Raquel Howes broke the school records for both home runs in a single season and in a career this week in the Colonels’13-4 victory over EIU. Howes hit her 14th home run of the season and 29th of her career in the fourth inning of that game, breaking the previous mark set by Shyenne Hussey. The Colonels took the three-game series with EIU two games to one, and will return to action at East Tennessee State tonight.

Jacksonville State – JSU’s own Todd Hornsby has been selected as one of the finalists for the 2012 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. Hornsby, a pitcher originally from Clay, Alabama, is on track to break the OVC career saves record of 31; he currently has 28 on his career. Hornsby will graduate this spring with a dual major in Industrial Technology Management and Occupational Safety and Health, and has been a member of the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll along with many other JSU academic honors. Help Todd secure the vote! Click here to vote for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

Morehead State – Sophomore Eagle baseball player Noah Smallwood was named BluGrass Pitcher of the Week by KyForward.com for his performance against Eastern Illinois last Saturday. Smallwood had the first complete game of his career, notching his third win with five strikeouts. The Eagles won the game 13-2.

Murray State – Two Racer rifle team members represented Murray State and the OVC at the USA Junior Olympics Nationals at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado last week. Kelsey Emme and Marisca Mozeleski, both freshmen, had solid showings, with Emme placing second in air rifle and fifth in smallbore and Mozeleski 26th in smallbore. With her second place finish, Emme earned a spot on the USA Shooting Junior Development Team.

Southeast Missouri – Former Southeast Missouri track and field coach Joey Haines will be inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame this weekend when the Redhawks compete in this year’s 103rd annual event. Haines, who coached the Redhawks from 1982-2006, won 44 conference titles in his tenure, 17 of which were OVC titles. He also coached 24 national champions, 154 All-Americans and was named OVC Coach of the Year 20 times. Big congratulations to Coach Haines from the OVC staff!

SIUE – The OVC staff wants to also send along congratulations to SIUE’s sports information director Eric Hess, who was named the 2012 recipient of Dr. Thomas Kearns Service Award by the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Hess has been with SIUE since 1990, and during the Cougars’14-year stint as a member of the GLVC made significant contributions to the conference, including creating the first official conference web site and introducing new media features throughout the years. Congrats Eric, you are much deserving of the honor!

Tennessee State – TSU men’s basketball seniors Kenny Moore and Wil Peters have been selected to play in this weekend’s Music City All-Star Classic game, which will be hosted by soon-to-be OVC member Belmont University. Moore, who averaged 11.1 on his career for the Tigers and dropped 53 three-pointers, while Peters logged 951 points, 386 assists and 3,572 minutes during his career. Proceeds from tickets to the game will go to Soles 4 Souls, and fans are encouraged to bring used and new shoes for donation.

Tennessee Tech – The Golden Eagles baseball program has several former players making headlines in the MLB farm system these days, including A.J. Kirby-Jones with the Stockton Ports of the Oakland A’s, who has posted a team-high .390 batting average, and Chad Oberacker with the Burlington Bees (also of the Oakland A’s), who holds his team’s highest batting average at .400 through 11 games. Also in the minor league are former Tech players Stephen Pryor with Jackson Generals (Seattle Mariners), Adam Liberatore with the Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays) and Ryan Dennick with the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Kansas City Royals).

UT Martin – Freshman Skyhawk pitcher Carter Smith is featured on the NCAA website this week with a feature story detailing his story from childhood to present. Smith was born without a right hand, but that hasn’t slowed him down any: he has started 6 games this season and is tied for the team lead with three wins. To view the feature on Smith, check out this link.

Around the Ohio Valley - April 12

Austin Peay – APSU women’s tennis senior Vanja Tomic is on the hot streak. Tomic, who was named OVC Player of the Year in 2010, tied her career-best 17-match win streak this past week with a victory over Jacksonville State’s Raisa Guasti at No. 1 singles. On the season, Tomic has an 18-4 record in singles, and sits at 12-12 in doubles. The Lady Govs currently have an 8-12 overall record, and are 5-2 in the OVC.

Eastern Illinois – Several Panther student-athletes were honored for both academic and athletic performances at EIU’s annual Student-Athlete Honors Dinner on Wednesday. The Senior Male and Senior Female Athlete of the Year awards both went to members of the track and field team, Zye Boey and Megan Gingerich. The Athletic Director’s Award, which honors a successful student, athlete and community member, was given to Bridget Sanchez, also a member of the women’s track and field team. EIU also presented many academic awards, the full list of which can be found on this page on EIUPanthers.com.

Eastern Kentucky – The Colonel football team will hold its annual Spring Game this Saturday at 6pm at Roy Kidd Stadium. After three weeks of spring practice so far, head coach Dean Hood is hopeful that the team will be healthy enough to split into two even squads for the game. Last season, EKU won a share of the OVC title with a 7-5 overall record. Admission to the Spring Game is free to the public.

Jacksonville State – With a 8-6 victory over Tennessee Tech, the JSU baseball team won its fifth-straight OVC series last Saturday. The Gamecocks, who are 12-19 overall and 6-3 in the conference, were led by senior Sam Eberle, who recorded the second five-hit game of his career and earned OVC Player of the Week honors as a result. JSU will return to conference play tomorrow on the road at UT Martin.

Morehead State – Morehead State Athletics and WKYT-TV are teaming up to help those in Eastern Kentucky who were effected by storms this spring by hosting Storm the Court, a basketball game featuring former and current Eagle notables and WKYT personalities. Players include head MSU men’s basketball coach Donnie Tyndall, head volleyball coach Jaime Gordon, Transylvania University men’s basketball coach Brian Lane, WKYT anchors Amber Philpott and Chris Bailey, and many MSU athletics alumni. For more information on Storm the Court, visit this link.

Murray State – Former Murray State basketball standout James Singleton is continuing his success in the NBA these days with the Washington Wizards. Singleton is currently having the best season of his four-year career in the NBA, averaging 10.5 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and 25 minutes on the floor for the Wizards. During his two year stint as a Racer (2001-2003), Singleton was a impact player, averaging 12.1 points per game as a junior and 14.9 points per game as a senior.

Southeast Missouri – Junior Redhawk gymnast Taylor Westrick will be taking the big stage on at the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships after tying for first in the balance beam with three other competitors at the NCAA Regional last Saturday. Westrick had a clutch performance, tying her career-best performance of 9.900, and scoring above 9.800 for a remarkable ninth-straight week. The Championships will be held April 20-22 in Duluth, Georgia at the Gwinett Center. Good luck Taylor!

SIUE – The SIUE women’s golf team is quietly tearing up the courses this season, placing no lower than eighth in any tournament so far this spring. The Cougars placed as high as second at the Titan Quad Challenge on March 5 and third at the IPFW Spring Classic on April 2. Junior Brooke Hood and senior Courtney Lovegreen tied for third out of 58 competitors at the Sunshine Spring Classic March 8-9, and freshman Ashton Stair and sophomore Brooks White have placed as high as fourth and fifth in tournaments.

Tennessee State – Head Tigers men’s basketball coach John Cooper has accepted the head coaching job at Miami (Ohio) this past week, leaving behind a big mark at TSU. During Cooper’s three years leading the program, the Tigers have been on a steady upswing, finishing this past season with a 20-13 record and making the program’s first postseason appearance since 1995. Cooper himself was nominated for four separate coaching awards this past spring. We here at the OVC wish him the best!

Tennessee Tech – Sophomore Golden Eagle baseball player Zach Stephens is having quite a season for himself so far this spring, currently leading the nation in four separate batting categories: home runs (14), slugging percentage (.917), total bases (100) and on-base percentage (.566). He also ranks second in batting average with .468. Stephens is continuing his success from a solid freshman season in which he was named a Freshman All-American and made the OVC’s All-Freshman team with 49 RBIs and 10 home runs.

UT Martin – Junior equestrian rider Kara Bergenty has been named Honorable Mention All-American in Equitation over Fences by the National Collegiate Equestrian Association this past week. Bergenty has put together an impressive resume this year: a 7-2 record with two MVP honors, an average score of 80 and average margin of victory of 9.14. She will be honored with the award at this year’s NCEA Championships at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Congrats Kara!

Around the Ohio Valley - March 29

Austin Peay – Govs men’s tennis player Drew Kerr has been selected as only one of 13 students nationally to participate in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at the Louvre in Paris, France this summer. Kerr, a junior physics major from Johnson City, Tenn., will be studying optics in art restoration with faculty from the University of Michigan while at the Louvre. Last season for the Govs, Kerr finished with a 4-2 doubles record and 1-4 singles record on the court. For the full release on Kerr’s selection to the REU program, visit this link.

Eastern Illinois – In their home opener this past Tuesday, the Panther baseball team upset No. 30-ranked Saint Louis 13-6, snapping the Billikens’ 13-game win streak. With the win, EIU improves to 9-13 on the season and 17-1 for home openers under head coach Jim Schmitz. In the game, the Panthers knocked four home runs, including career-firsts for sophomore Jacob Reese and junior Nick Priessman. The Panthers will look to continue the momentum in a series against Southeast Missouri this weekend.

Eastern Kentucky – The Colonel baseball team had an impressive showing against Marshall on Tuesday, knocking out a season-high nine doubles in a 10-3 win over the Thundering Herd. Senior Richie Rodriguez and sophomore Bryan Soloman each had two doubles, while seniors Michael Garcia, A.J. Jamison, juniors Austin Grisham, Alex Hughes and Matt Phipps each had one. Taking the win on the mound for EKU was sophomore Brent Cobb. The Colonels currently sit at a 9-15 record.

Jacksonville State – The Gamecocks’ women’s indoor track and field team has been honored by the OVC with the 2011-12 Team Sportsmanship Award for the indoor season after placing third at the Conference championships in February. The award, which is voted on by student-athletes and coaches in each particular sport, is in its sixth year for indoor track. Tennessee State received the award on the men’s side. For the full release, see this story on OVCSports.com.

Morehead State – Eagles’ head volleyball coach Jaime Gordon’s contract was extended this week, following a third OVC Championship-winning season for MSU and the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth this past fall. Gordon, who will be entering his tenth season with the Eagles next fall, has led the Eagles to six-straight 20-win seasons and coached players to many accolades, including the first two All-Americans in program history. His new contract extends through 2015.

Murray State – The Murray State Athletic Department is partnering with the Murray Ledger and Times to produce “Racing into History”, a special publication commemorating the Racers’ record-breaking 31-2 men’s basketball season. The publication includes a game-by-game breakdown, feature stories, exclusive photos and highlights from Murray State’s OVC-winning season and NCAA Tournament appearance. “Racing into History” is available through the Ledger and Times for $4.99 a copy.

Southeast Missouri – Two Redhawk gymnasts have been selected to represent Southeast Missouri at the NCAA Regional Championships in Champaign, Ill. on Monday. Sophomore Megan Fosnow will be competing in the all-around and junior Taylor Westrick in the balance beam. Fosnow has scored a 38.300 in the all-around in four of the last nine meets, while Westrick currently ranks 48th in the nation in the beam with an RQS of 9.840.

SIUE – The Cougar track and cross country teams took time to give back this past week, volunteering their time at the 4th Annual Confluence Trash Bash in St. Louis. The student-athletes helped pick up illegal trash dumps in various locations across the city, cleaning up along steams and in neighborhoods. SIUE opens their outdoor track and field season this coming Saturday at the Ole Miss Invite in Oxford, Miss.

Tennessee State – Earlier this month, TSU football senior Devin Wilson was named a Collegiate Scholar-Athlete winner by the National Football Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Wilson, a Human Performance and Sport Science major, had a team-best 48 catches for 586 yards and two touchdowns this past season, all while keeping a 3.15 GPA. He was one of only seven athletes to be honored at the NFF banquet. Congrats Devin!

Tennessee Tech – Senior TTU women’s basketball player Tacarra Hayes has been selected to participate in the “So You Want to be a Coach” program at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Denver. The program, which selects only 50 participants per year, is geared toward developing women’s college basketball players who are looking to go into coaching upon graduating, giving players the opportunity to develop professional skills and network. Hayes, who hopes to coach upon graduating, finished her career ninth in the TTU record books with 1, 786 points.

UT Martin – Freshman pitcher Casey Vincent threw a one-hitter against future OVC foe Belmont this week, earning the Skyhawk softball team their 20th win of the season. With the 3-1 victory, Vincent improved to 5-3 on the season and the Skyhawks continued in their run atop the OVC standings. They will return to conference action today at Southeast Missouri.

Around the Ohio Valley – Feb. 18

Austin Peay – The Governors were selected by the OVC office as the preseason favorite in baseball polls last week, and four APSU players were named to the preseason All-OVC team, including seniors Michael Blanchard and Zach Toney, junior Reed Harper and sophomore Jordan Hankins. Austin Peay, last year’s regular season champion, received seven of the nine possible first place votes in the poll, beating out second-place picked Jacksonville State by six votes. For the full poll results, visit this link on OVCSports.com.

Eastern Illinois – Both the men’s and women’s Panther cross country teams were recognized for their scholarly efforts by the USTFCCCA this week by earning All-Academic Team honors. The EIU men posted a team GPA of 3.47 and ranked 15^th out of 147 recognized teams. The women’s team posted a team GPA of 3.39. Also earning All-Academic honors from the OVC were Southeast Missouri on the men’s side and Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State and Morehead State on the women’s. Congrats to all the runners!

Eastern Kentucky – Four Colonel football players were named to the All-Commonwealth Collegiate team last week, an honor given to the best collegiate football players in the state of Kentucky. Lineman Anthony Brown, running back Matt Denham, defensive back Patrick McClellan and linebacker Ichiro Vance will be honored on June 15 by the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame, which selects the All-Commonwealth team. EKU will look to defend its share of the OVC title beginning on Sept. 1 versus Purdue.

Jacksonville State – The OVC champion Gamecock rifle team had yet another solid performance at a tune-up match in Fairbanks, Alaska this week, and is competing at the NCAA Sectional qualifier today. At the match in Fairbanks, JSU finished second with an aggregate score of 4648 (2307 in smallbore and 2341 in air rifle), finishing second to Alaska by only 15 points and topping Nebraska.

Morehead State – Former Eagle basketball player, current Denver Nugget standout and Twitter sensation Kenneth Faried was selected as 2011 Kentucky Sportsman of the Year this week by the state’s media. During his time at MSU, Faried was named OVC Player of the Year twice and Defensive Player of the Year three times, and set an NCAA record for career rebounds with 1,673. He also became the first Eagle to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Congrats, Kenneth!

Murray State – The Racers’ efforts to bring ESPN broadcasting legend Dick Vitale to campus have paid off: Dickie V will be in Murray tonight to call the Racers’ BracketBusters game when the 14^th-ranked men’s basketball team takes on 21-ranked Saint Mary’s. Today’s game marks the first time two top-25 teams have played at the CFSB Center, and the game sold out before Dickie V even announced his visit. Good luck Racers!

Southeast Missouri – Redhawk senior baseball player Trenton Moses continues to rake in the preseason awards; after being named OVC Preseason Player of the Year, Moses was named a Second Team Preseason All-American by CollegeBaseballInsider.com. The award is well-deserved as Moses, a third baseman, hit .395 last season with 11 home runs and 53 RBI’s last season and was named OVC Player of the year.

SIUE – Freshman Marten Jonsson is leading the way for the Cougars on the tennis court so far this season, with a perfect 5-0 record at No. 1 singles. His most recent victory came this past week with a victory over Joe Flanagan from Saint Louis, and he has also defeated foes from IUPUI, Wright State, Northern Illinois, and IPFW. Jonsson is also 4-1 in doubles with his partner Jacob Tanulanond, losing only to Wright State on Jan. 21.

Tennessee State – Junior TSU basketball player Robert Covington was named Mid-Major National Player of the Week by College Sports Madness this week after a solid week against opponents Murray State, Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State. In TSU’s win over Murray State (the Racers’ only loss so far this season), Covington dropped 17 points with 8 rebounds, followed up with 16 points and 2 rebounds against TTU and then scored 28 points with 12 rebounds against Jacksonville State.

Tennessee Tech – Kevin Murphy, a senior men’s basketball player at TTU, has been named a finalist for the 2012 Lou Henson Player of the Year award, which is given to the best player mid-major men’s player in Division I. The award is selected through both fan voting and the CollegeInsider.com selection committee. Murphy leads the OVC in scoring this season, averaging 20.4 points per game. Also nominated from the OVC for award is Murray State’s Isaiah Canaan. To vote for the Henson Award, click here.

UT Martin – Skyhawk equestrian senior Caroline Cramer won the consolation bracket last week at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla. After falling short to Georgia’s Carly Anthony by five points in the first round, Cramer came roaring back to defeat riders from Oklahoma State, Sacred Heart and SMU to take the consolation bracket. The No. 10-ranked Skyhawks returned to action today at Fresno State to take on their hosts and No. 9 TCU.

Get To Know Your OVC Men's Basketball Coaches - Part 7 (What Would You Be Doing If You Weren't Coaching Basketball)

At the 2011 OVC Basketball Media Day, OVC intern Olivia Walter sat down with the men's basketball coaches to ask them some questions. Each week during the conference season we will feature a different question. This week the question is "What would you be doing if you were not coaching basketball?"

OVC Insider presented by Taco Bell - Episode 19

Episode No. 19 of our weekly show about the happenings of the Ohio Valley Conference is now online. The show is hosted by OVC interns Olivia Walter and Patrick Robinson.

Get To Know Your OVC Men's Basketball Coaches - Part 6 (Favorite OVC Memory)

At the 2011 OVC Basketball Media Day, OVC intern Olivia Walter sat down with the men's basketball coaches to ask them some questions. Each week during the conference season we will feature a different question. This week the question is "What is your favorite memory from coaching in the OVC?"

OVC Insider presented by Taco Bell - Episode 18

Episode No. 18 of our weekly show about the happenings of the Ohio Valley Conference is now online. The show is hosted by OVC interns Olivia Walter and Patrick Robinson.

This week we look at some rifle highlights, a look ahead to the UTM/EIU women's basketball game this weekend and some baseball thoughts.

Around the Ohio Valley - Feb. 9

Austin Peay: The Governors’ men’s and women’s tennis teams were predicted to have strong finishes in the OVC Preseason Poll this week. Both were picked to finish second in the conference as teams. In the individual polls, two Governors, sophomore Jasmin Ademovic and senior Vanja Tomic, were picked as the preseason favorites for both the men’s and women’s sides. Ademovic was named men’s Freshman of the Year last season, while Tomic is a two-time women’s first team All-OVC pick. For the full team and individual polls, visit OVCsports.com.

Eastern Illinois: Last weekend, Eastern Illinois unveiled its renovations to Lantz Arena, an area which has been renamed the Baker/Warmoth Hall of Champions. Included in the renovations are a new hall of fame area complete with touch screen profiles of Panther Hall of Fame members, an updated ticket office and concessions area and new trophy cases. The Baker/Warmoth Hall of Champions is named for EIU notables Coach Merv Baker and Walt Warmoth.

Eastern Kentucky: The Lexington Legends preseason caravan made a stop at EKU on Wednesday, bringing with it former Colonel baseball standout Josh Anderson. Anderson, who formerly played for the Legends during his rise to MLB, holds the single-season records for hits, runs, singles and stolen bases at EKU, and was a two-time first team All-OVC selection. The Legends’ caravan included a chance for fans to win Legends tickets and gear, meet the Legends mascot and several current Colonel players.

Jacksonville State: Head JSU softball coach Jana McGinnis received a surprise honor at the Gamecocks’ annual Softball Fan Day last Sunday. The street adjacent to University Field in Jacksonville, formerly named Rudy Abbott Circle, was renamed for McGinnis as Jana McGinnis Lane. McGinnis was presented with the honor by JSU president Dr. William Meehan, athletics director Warren Koegel and Calhoun County Commissioners J.D. Hess and Rudy Abbott as recognition for her 18 years as head coach.

Morehead State: Catherine McDaniel was named assistant softball coach for the Eagles last week by head coach David Williams. McDaniel comes to Morehead after a phenomenal career at Florida Gulf Coast, where she has the fourth-best ERA and third-most strikeouts in program history. Says Williams: “Catherine’s enthusiasm and knowledge are great additions to the program as we head into the season.”

Murray State: With the Racers’ hugely successful men’s basketball season so far, the Murray State community is hoping to bring ESPN legend Dick Vitale to campus for the Racers’ Feb. 18 game against St. Mary’s. Students and fans are encouraged to join the Bring Dickie V to Murray campaign by utilizing social media. And with videos like this coming out of Murray, we don’t really know how Dickie could say no:

Southeast Missouri: Former Redhawk football star Dan Connolly made his mark on the highest stage in football last Sunday, playing in Super Bowl XLVI as a lineman for the New England Patriots. A four-time All-OVC pick, Connolly has started on the line for the Patriots for the last three seasons. Southeast’s sports information department got a chance to talk with Connolly before the big game last week. For the full interview, check out this link.

SIUE: Junior Panther women’s basketball player Raven Berry was named OVC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after averaging a double-double in three games last week. She has eight double-doubles on the season, and is only 49 points away from 1,000 on her career. The Panthers currently sit in third place in the conference.

Tennessee State: Former TSU track star John Moon was named the head coach for the USA men’s track and field team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships. Moon, who won the national championship in the 100-yard dash and set a world record during his time at TSU, receives the honor after serving in various coaching roles for over 40 years. The World Indoor Championships will be held in Istanbul, Turkey on March 9-11. Moon currently serves as the head cross country coach at Seton Hall University.

Tennessee Tech: Golden Eagle men’s basketball player Kevin Murphy continues to receive recognition for his 50-point performance against SIUE last week. Murphy was voted Capital One Cup Impact Performance of the Week by a national audience through ESPN.com, beating out the likes of Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger and Kansas’ Thomas Robinson. His 50 points is the highest single-game mark in Division I so far this season, and highlights from the game have been featured on networks around the nation.

UT Martin: After last week’s We Back Pat initiative held by the UT Martin basketball programs, Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt expressed her gratitude to her alma mater by posting a thank you video. Check it out here:

Get To Know Your OVC Men's Basketball Coaches - Part 5 (H.O.R.S.E.)

At the 2011 OVC Basketball Media Day, OVC intern Olivia Walter sat down with the men's basketball coaches to ask them some questions. Each week during the conference season we will feature a different question. This week the question is "Who would win a game of H.O.R.S.E. - You or one of your players?"

Around the Ohio Valley – Feb. 2

Austin Peay: Three former Governors, two athletes and one coach, were named to the Austin Peay Athletics Hall of Fame last Saturday. The athlete inductees include former All-American running back Jay Bailey, who holds the Governors’ single-season rushing record, and former basketball player Ashley Haynes, who recorded both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in her career. Former volleyball coach Cheryl Holt was also inducted; she led the Lady Govs to 19-straight OVC tournament appearances during her 23-year career. Holt also served as head tennis coach, head softball coach and assistant basketball coach during her time at APSU.

Eastern Illinois: Former Panther Tony Romo will return to EIU on February 14 to participate in the annual Athletic Director’s Gala. The theme for this year’s event is “The Heart of a Champion”, and will honor the 25-year career of Panther football coach Bob Spoo. Romo, the current starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, played for Spoo and is a 2002 EIU alumnus. For more information on this event, see this link on EIUPantherClub.com.

Eastern Kentucky: Texas Ranger’s pitcher Derek Holland helped kick off the Colonels 2012 baseball season this past weekend, serving as the guest speaker at the annual Diamond Legacy Dinner. Holland spoke specifically about his World Series experiences, and also stressed the importance of individuality and education. Also honored at the dinner were junior Colonel baseball players Chase Greene and Shaun Ball, who were recognized for their hard work in the offseason.

Jacksonville State: The JSU men’s golf team’s season is underway, and the Gamecocks were also recognized this week by the OVC office. In the OVC preseason poll, JSU is ranked first, after receiving 7 out of 9 first place votes. The Gamecocks won their third OVC title last season, setting a Championship record for team single round score with 280 (-8). For the full preseason polls for both men’s and women’s golf, visit this link on OVCSports.com.

Morehead State: Two Eagle softball players were honored by College Sports Madness this week in the preseason selection. Senior outfielders Kayla Brill and Sam Woodall were both named to the OVC Preseason All-Conference Second Team after solid junior seasons. Brill posted a .312 batting average with 43 hits and nine home runs, while Woodall batted .337 with 64 hits. For the full preseason selections, visit CollegeSportsMadness.com.

Murray State: The 2012 OVC rifle championships will be held this coming weekend at UT Martin, and the Racers look to take their third-straight conference title and return to the NCAA tournament. Two 2011 OVC honorees will lead Murray State this weekend: junior Kaitlin Cleven was named Air Rifle MVP last season, while fellow junior Kyle Donnan will look to return to the Smallbore First Team.

Southeast Missouri: The highly anticipated matchup between the top two teams in the OVC, Southeast and no. 9 Murray State, is finally happening tonight at the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky. The game, which is being broadcasted by ESPNU, is the 63^rd meeting between the 7-2 (OVC) Redhawks and the undefeated Racers. Tickets for the event sold out this afternoon.

SIUE: Former Cougar Alicia DeShasier will be into the Great Lakes Valley Conference Hall of Fame this coming May, one of five in this year’s class. DeShasier was a softball and track and field standout at SIUE, is in the top five in school history in almost every statistical category in softball, and competed in the 2007 Division II National Championships in the javelin. She went on to claim the gold medal in javelin in last year’s Pan American Games.

Tennessee State: Junior women’s basketball player Jasmin Shuler has been named this week’s Boxtorow National Player of the Week and will be featured on the national radio talk show From the Press Box to Press Row this Saturday. Shuler, who is averaging 15 points per game for the Tigers, dropped a career-high 38 against Morehead State on January 19. From the Press Box to Press Row can be heard Saturday at 8am on WFSK-FM 88.1 in the Nashville metro area.

Tennessee Tech: The Golden Eagles’ own Molly Heady was named 2012 Capital One Academic All-District First Team after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA in all of her semesters at Tennessee Tech. Heady, a sophomore women’s basketball player, was the only women’s basketball player to be selected from the OVC and one of only eight to have a perfect 4.0 in all Division I. On the court, Heady ranks third in both scoring and rebounding averages. Congrats, Molly!

UT Martin: The Skyhawks are doing their part to honor one of their most famous alumni, University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt. The basketball doubleheader against Murray State on Saturday, Feb. 4 has been dubbed We Back Pat night, with fundraising efforts including t-shirts and bracelets to raise money for the Pat Summitt Foundation Fund, which funds research and treatment of Alzheimer’s. Summitt, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia last year, played basketball at UT Martin prior to her successes in her coaching career with the Volunteers.

OVC Insider presented by Taco Bell - Episode 17

Episode No. 17 of our weekly show about the happenings of the Ohio Valley Conference is now online. The show is hosted by OVC interns Olivia Walter and Patrick Robinson.

This week we look at the BracketBusters matchups, Kevin Murphy's 50-point game and a look at the Rifle Championship.

50!

Tennessee Tech senior guard Kevin Murphy reached rare air on Monday night when he scored a school record 50 points in the Golden Eagles 98-80 win over SIUE.

Murphy hit 16-of-21 field goal attempts (6-of-9 from 3-point range) and was 12-of-14 at the free throw line. The senior also grabbed seven rebounds, had an assist and a steal in 34 minutes of action. His play avenged a loss to SIUE on Dec. 29 when Murphy hit just 1-of-16 shots and scored four points.

Murphy is one of just 11 players in OVC history to score 50 or more points in a game, and the first since Morehead State's Brett Roberts did in the 1991-92 season. It was just five points off the record of 55 held by Western Kentucky's Clem Haskins (1964-65) and Youngstown State's Tilman Beverly.

Below is a list of every 50-point game in OVC history.

55 - Clem Haskins, Western Kentucky (vs. Middle Tennessee in 1964-65)
55 - Tilman Beverly, Youngstown State (vs. Tennessee Tech in 1985-86)
53 - Brett Roberts, Morehead State (vs. Middle Tennessee in 1991-92)
52 - Art Spoelstra, Western Kentucky (vs. Morehead State in 1953-54)
52 - Tom Chilton, East Tennessee (vs. Austin Peay in 1960-61)

52 - Harold Sergent, Morehead State (vs. Middle Tennessee in 1964-65)
51 - James "Fly" Williams, Austin Peay (vs. Tennessee Tech in 1972-73)
51 - James "Fly" Williams, Austin Peay (vs. Georgia Southern in 1972-73)
51 - Steve Hamilton, Morehead State (vs. Ohio in 1956-57)

50 - Darel Carrier, Western Kentucky (vs. Morehead State in 1963-64)

50 - Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech (vs. SIUE in 2011-12)

The 50 points is the most scored by a Division I player this season (Creighton's Doug McDermott's 44 points against Bradley is the second-most).

The 50 points is the first in a Division I game since BYU's Jimmer Fredette scored 52 points against New Mexico on March 11, 2011. Last season there were just three total 50-point games in Division I.

Murphy entered Monday's game ranked 13th in the country in scoring (20.0 points/game) and raised his scoring average to 21.3 points/game, which now ranks sixth nationally.

Below is video of Murphy's output point-by-point.

Get To Know Your OVC Men's Basketball Coaches - Part 4 (Crazy Fans)

At the 2011 OVC Basketball Media Day, OVC intern Olivia Walter sat down with the men's basketball coaches to ask them some questions. Each week during the conference season we will feature a different question. This week the question is "Who has the craziest fans?"

Around the Ohio Valley - Jan. 26

It's Around the Ohio Valley, your weekly look behind the scenes in athletics at our 11 member institutions!

Austin Peay: The Governors’ men’s basketball team continued its hot streak this week, earning two more victories on the road at SIUE on Jan. 19 and Eastern Illinois on Jan. 21. Senior Melvin Baker and junior Jerome Clyburn played huge roles in these last two victories, with Baker scoring 19 points versus SIUE and 10 against EIU, while Clyburn added a season-high 7 assists on Thursday and dropped 18 points on Saturday. The Governors return to the court tonight at Southeast Missouri.

Eastern Illinois: Two Eastern Illinois teams were recognized nationally in rankings this week: the men’s indoor track and field team and women’s basketball. The Panther track and field team is currently ranked ninth in the USTFCCCA Midwest Region, ahead of several Big 12 teams. At first place in the OVC, the Panther women’s basketball team is ranked 18^th in the nation in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Top 25 poll. EIU will look to improve on their 6-0 conference record and 15-4 overall record this Saturday at Jacksonville State.

Eastern Kentucky: Former Eastern Kentucky football player Antwaun Molden will hit one of the biggest stages in sports in two weeks, playing in Super Bowl XLVI in two weeks as a member of the New England Patriots. Molden, a three-year cornerback (2005-07) with the Colonels, has played in all 18 games for the Patriots this season, racking up 36 tackles and two interceptions. EKU won the OVC title in 2007, Molden’s senior season.

Jacksonville State: The Gamecocks had their first alumni appearance in the NBA this past week, when former JSU basketball player Walker Russell made his debut with the Detroit Pistons last Friday. Russell, who played for the Gamecocks from 2003-06, played 20 minutes with 3 points and one rebound in the Pistons loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. He had previously spent five seasons in the NBA Development League. As a Gamecock, Russell was a two-time All-OVC selection and scored 1,182 points on his career.

Morehead State: The Eagle football team earned prestigious academic honors this week, with 32 players being named to the 2011 Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll. The list includes all players from the league’s 10 institutions to earn a 3.0 GPA or higher. Morehead’s list was topped by senior halfback Ronnie McDermott with a perfect 4.0 GPA last semester. For the full list of honorees, see this link on MSUEagles.com.

Murray State: One Racer women’s basketball player is on the brink of history. Junior guard Mariah Robinson is only 36 points away from reaching 1,000 points on her career, averaging 15.8 points per game so far this season and shooting 80 percent from the free throw line. She would be the 18^th Racer to reach 1,000, and could reach the mark in less than 80 games on her career.

Southeast Missouri: Redhawk baseball player Trenton Moses was predicted to reclaim his OVC Player of the Year title by College Sports Madness last week. The website named him Preaseason OVC Player of the Year, which adds to his Third Team Preseason Lousiville Slugger All-American honor in December. Last season, Moses batted .395 on the season will 11 home runs and 53 RBIs. The Redhawks will open their season at Dallas Baptist in Dallas, Texas on Feb. 17.

SIUE: Both men’s and women’s OVC Basketball Freshmen of the Week went to SIUE Cougars this week: Kris Davis for the men and Katie Hempen for the women. Both Davis and Hempen are averaging 13 points per games for their respected teams. Davis ranks second in the NCAA with a .581 three-point shooting percentage, while Hempen dropped 17 points in the Cougars’ last victory over Austin Peay.

Tennessee State: The OVC office would like to extend its congratulations to TSU associate head athletic trainer Patrice Elder for receiving the Tennessee Athletic Trainers’ Society Backbone of the Year Award. The award, which Elder received last Sunday, is given to individuals who display significant and enthusiastic loyalty to their programs, their student-athletes and their coworkers. Elder has served in her role with the Tigers since 2007. Congratulations, Patrice!

Tennessee Tech: TTU’s Basketball Alumni Day will be held on Feb. 25 when the Golden Eagles take on Murray State, during which several TTU championship teams will be recognized. The 20^th anniversary of the 1991-92 women’s team and 25^th anniversary of the 1986-87, both of which won OVC titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, will be honored, as well as a ten-year look back at the 2001-02 men’s and women’s teams and the 1981-82 women’s OVC championship team. For more info, check out TTUsports.com.

UT Martin: The Skyhawk rifle program has signed two incoming freshmen this week, both of whom are expected to contribute right away in the 2012-13 season. Nikki Lee Kroll, from Lowber, Pa., and Sean O’Brien, from Voorhies, N.J., both have trained at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and competed in the NRA National Championships. Both Kroll and O’Brien are the reigning air rifle champions in their home states and plan to major in pre-med at UT Martin.

Get To Know Your OVC Men's Basketball Coaches - Part 3 (Superstitions)

At the 2011 OVC Basketball Media Day, OVC intern Olivia Walter sat down with the men's basketball coaches to ask them some questions. Each week during the conference season we will feature a different question. This week the question is "Do you have any superstitions?"

OVC Insider presented by Taco Bell - Episode 15

Episode No. 15 of our weekly show about the happenings of the Ohio Valley Conference is now online. The show is hosted by OVC interns Olivia Walter and Patrick Robinson.

This week we introduce a new feature in the show, and have the latest happenings around the league.

Around the Ohio Valley - Jan. 19

Here is your weekly in-depth look at what's happening in athletics at our institutions:

Austin Peay: The Governors’ men’s basketball team is currently on a three-game win streak, with all three of those wins coming within only five days of each other. APSU began the streak with a win over Eastern Kentucky on Jan. 12, 80-65, continued by defeating Jacksonville State 60-57 on Jan. 14, and finished the weekend with a 69-63 win over Tennessee State on Jan. 16. Senior John Fraley had impressive performances in all three contests, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds versus EKU, 8 points and 9 rebounds against JSU and 16 points and 6 rebounds versus TSU. For the full game recaps, be sure to visit apsugovernors.com.

Eastern Illinois: Former Panther baseball standout Jordan Kreke was signed by the Traverse City (Mich.) Beach Bums of the Frontier League this week, making him the third EIU alum on the current Beach Bums’ roster (he joins former EIU teammates Matt Miller and Brent McNeil). Kreke batted .316, appeared in 170 games and had 187 hits during his EIU career, and was named OVC Player of the Year in 2009. Since being drafted by the Atlanta Braves in 2009, he has played for four Minor League Baseball teams in the Braves organization, including the AA Mississippi Braves.

Eastern Kentucky: We here at the OVC office would like to extend our congratulations to the EKU Dance Team, who pulled out two top-ten finishes at the UDA College National Championships last weekend. EKU placed sixth in Division I Pom and seventh in Division I Hip-Hop. Last weekend marks EKU’s second appearance in the UDA National Championships under coach and alum Laura Hazelwood.

Jacksonville State: The Gamecock softball team was selected by our office this week as the preseason favorite to win the OVC title for the fourth-straight season. Last year, JSU finished second in the OVC for the regular season title to Eastern Illinois, but emerged victorious in the conference tournament and earned a spot in the NCAA Regionals. The Gamecocks will look to place in the top two in the OVC for the eighth straight season this year, all under head coach Jana McGinnis. To see the full preseason softball poll, visit this link on OVCsports.com.

Morehead State: Eagle baseball senior Andrew Deeds was named Preseason First Team All-OVC by College Sports Madness as a utility player. Last season for Morehead, Deeds played third base and centerfield and batted .380 on the season. He also broke the school record for triples in a season with seven and career triples with 11. For the full preseason teams, visit the link on College Sports Madness.

Murray State: While the Murray State men’s basketball team continues their unbeaten streak, two female Racer athletes are also having big performances in their respected seasons. Women’s basketball sophomore Erica Burgess was named OVC Newcomer of the Week for the sixth time this week; she’s averaging 14.8 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game on the season. Junior sprinter Alexis Love was named OVC Track Athlete of the Week for the second-straight week on Tuesday; she currently has the OVC best times for the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.

Southeast Missouri: The Redhawk softball team took a break from preparing for the upcoming season before Christmas to lend a helping hand for Haiti. As a part of the Feed My Starving Children program, the team took part in packing approximately 632,000 meals, which will help feed 1,730 Haitian children for a full year. Southeast returns to the field on Feb. 9, when they open their season at Jackson State.

SIUE: When the Cougars men’s basketball team hosts No. 10 Murray State on Jan. 21, it will be the first time an SIUE game has been nationally televised (the game will be broadcasted on ESPNU). It will also be the first time SIUE will have hosted a Division I Top-25, much less a Top-10, opponent. The game at the Vadalabene Center will begin at 8pm CST.

Tennessee State: Three Tiger legends have been nominated for the NAIA 75^th Anniversary Team, membership of which is voted on by fans. All three nominees, Dr. Dick Barnett, John Barnhill and Coach John McLendon, played large parts in the 1957-59 NAIA National Championships won by TSU teams. Barnett and Barnhill were named to the All-Tournament teams two out of the three championship years, while McLendon’s large list of accolades includes 1958 Coach of the Year. All three were named to the NAIA 50^th Anniversary Team. Click here to vote for the 75^th Anniversary Team selections.

Tennessee Tech: Golden Eagle wide receiver Tim Benford will play in the annual East-West Shrine game this weekend in Florida, yet another honor for the senior after an exceptional season for TTU. The Golden Eagles finished tied with Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State to win the OVC title, appeared in the FCS playoffs and finished in the FCS Top 25. Individually, Benford was named an All-American and OVC Offensive Player of the Year.

UT Martin: Skyhawk women’s basketball player Heather Butler is well on her way to making UT Martin history in the coming weeks. Butler, a sophomore, is only 41 points away from scoring 1,000 points in her still young UT Martin career, and is averaging 21.8 points per game, which ranks ninth in the nation. She has also scored in double figures in every game of her career, with her season-high sitting at 35 points versus TSU on Jan. 2.

Get to Know Your OVC Men's Basketball Coaches - Part 2 (Spare Time)

At the 2011 OVC Basketball Media Day, OVC intern Olivia Walter sat down with the men's basketball coaches to ask them some questions. Each week during the conference season we will feature a different question. This week the question is "What do you like to do in your spare time?"

OVC Insider presented by Taco Bell - Episode 14

Episode No. 14 of our weekly show about the happenings of the Ohio Valley Conference is now online. The show is hosted by OVC interns Olivia Walter and Patrick Robinson.

This week we take a look back at what has happened over the past month.

Around the Ohio Valley - Jan. 12

Austin Peay: The APSU basketball programs are looking to up their efforts in the national Coaches vs. Cancer campaign. The Governors have a long history with the program, ranking as high as 13^th nationally in funds raised for the program. APSU head basketball coaches Dave Loos and Carrie Daniels are working closely with Coaches vs. Cancer representatives and APSU’s Marketing and Promotions department to bring the Governors’ contributions back to a high level through initiatives such as the season-long Coaches vs. Cancer 3-point Attack and Play for Kay night on Feb. 18. For more information, see this article by Luke Thompson in the Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle.

Eastern Illinois: Former Panther women’s basketball player Kelly (Powell) Richter was recently selected as a member of the Indiana High School Hall of Fame’s Silver Anniversary Team. Richter played at EIU from 1987-91, playing in 84 games throughout her career. Richter has since served as a team physician at Vanderbilt University (2001-02), is currently on staff at the Cleveland Clinic and serves as the team physician at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio.

Eastern Kentucky: EKU head cross country coach Rick Erdmann and sophomore runner Soufiane Bouchikhi were honored at the Kentucky Association of USATF and Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association awards banquet last week, receiving Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year and Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year awards. The Colonels reached their first NCAA Cross Country Championship this past season and also won their sixth consecutive OVC conference title.

Jacksonville State: Shoutout to the JSU Marching Southerners on kicking of London’s New Year’s Day parade a couple weeks ago, and on making the Huffington Post. Way to represent the OVC overseas!

Morehead State: The Morehead State cheerleading squad will once again be competing at the Universal Cheerleaders Association College Cheerleading National Team Championship this coming weekend at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla. Last year, Morehead State brought home national titles in the all-girl team, coed team and partner stunt all-girl events, brining the total number of national championships produced by the Eagles’ cheerleading program to 31. Good luck Eagles!

Murray State: The Feb. 2 matchup between No.14-ranked Murray State and Southeast Missouri has been selected for broadcast on ESPNU. The Racers are one of three remaining undefeated Division I teams, with an overall record of 16-0 and an OVC record of 4-0. The game will air at 7:00pm CST that night.

Southeast Missouri: Southeast Missouri men’s basketball player Tyler Stone is having a phenomenal season so far, averaging 19.3 points per game, 5.7 rebounds and shooting 61 percent from the field in the Redhawks’ last three contests. Stone, a transfer sophomore from Missouri, has scored in double figures in 14 of Southeast’s 16 games this season.

SIUE: SIUE’s new indoor softball facility is now officially open for business. Fans received their first look at the 110-foot by 110-foot facility last Sunday, which features a full infield, three pitching areas and two 80-foot batting cages. There is also an area specifically dedicated to umpires’ game preparation and rest between games.

Tennessee State: Tiger men’s basketball player Robert Covington had a great game in TSU’s 77-72 victory over Morehead State on Wednesday, scoring a career-high 30 points, the most points scored by a Tiger since Parker Smith on Jan. 17, 2009. Covington, a junior from Bellwood, Ill., also added eight rebounds, a block, a steal and an assist. 21 of his 30 came from 3-point shots, also a career-high. For the full recap, visit TSUTigers.com.

Tennessee Tech: TTU athletes have not only been pursuing excellence on the playing field, but in the classroom as well. 192 Golden Eagles were named to the Athletic Director’s honor roll for the 2011 fall semester upon achieving a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. 45 of those student-athletes were named to the Gold Club, which recognizes those who achieve a perfect 4.0 GPA. For a full list of the honored TTU athletes, see this release from TTUSports.com.

UT Martin: The UT Martin women’s basketball team, along with Tennessee State, set an OVC record on Jan. 2 for single-game combined points scored with 219. The Skyhawks won the matchup 114-105, which was held at the Gentry Center in Nashville. The previous record, 216, was set when Morehead State defeated Eastern Kentucky 110-106 during the 1992-93 season. UT Martin sits in first place in the OVC with a 3-0 conference record.