2009 Preseason All-OVC Team & Preseason Poll

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky senior outside hitter Lindsey Loescher has been selected second team Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference, the league announced on Tuesday. The OVC also released its 2009 preseason poll. The Colonels were picked to finish eighth in the 10-team conference.

Loescher earned a spot on the Ohio Valley Conference All-Newcomer team last season after finishing second in the conference with an average of 3.67 kills per set and fourth in the league with an average of 4.04 points per set. She ranked 62nd in the nation in kills per set.

The Crystal Lake, Ill., native led the team in kills (371), aces (21) and points (408) in 2008. She finished third on the team in digs (197) and fourth in blocks (29). Loescher recorded 10 or more kills in 19 of the 27 matches that she played in and posted 20-plus kills four times.

Loescher finished with a season-best 29 kills against Tennessee State on October 18. One of her five double-doubles came the same night when she added a season-best 15 digs against TSU.

Eastern Kentucky earned 49 points in the voting process, three points fewer than Tennessee-Martin (52) in seventh place and four more points than Tennessee State in ninth place. Eastern Illinois (29) rounded out the poll in 10th place.

Murray State (142), Morehead State (136) and Southeast Missouri (125) were picked to finish in the top three. Austin Peay (123), Tennessee Tech (115) and Jacksonville State (85) were picked to finish four through six.

Both the preseason all-conference teams and the preseason poll were voted on by the league’s head volleyball coaches and volleyball sports information contacts.

The Colonels return nine letter winners, including five starters, from last season’s team. Eastern will begin its 2009 campaign on August 28 with a match against Marquette at the Loyola Invitational in Chicago. Eastern’s first home match is scheduled for September 24 against Morehead State.