BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Southeast Missouri Women's Basketball was picked to finish 11^th in the 2024-25 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Poll, the league announced Wednesday morning. 
 
The Redhawks, who enter the first season under head coach Briley Palmer, received 29 points in the preseason poll voted on by the league's head coaches and communicators. 
 
Southern Indiana was picked to finish first with 20 first-place votes and 200 points total. Rounding out the top three was UT Martin (2) with 180 points and Eastern Illinois with 145. 
 
Tennessee Tech (140), Little Rock (135), and Western Illinois (119) finished fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, followed by Lindenwood (81) and a two-way tie for eighth place with SIUE and Morehead State (61). 
 
Tennessee State rounded out the top 10 with 59 points, thirty more than the Redhawks. 
 
Women's Basketball landed two players on the 'Preseason Players to Watch' list with the returning sophomore, Indiya Bowen, and freshman guard Zoe Best. 
 
Bowen, a native of Horn Lake, Mississippi, is one-of-two returners to the squad from a year ago. Last season, she averaged 9.1 points-per-game and shot .319 from three-point range. She averaged 21.3 minutes-per-game and finished the season 89-for-245 from the field (.363). 
 
Zoe Best is a native of Bel-Nor, Missouri and will begin her collegiate career with the Redhawks during the 2024-25 season. In high school, Best never lost a game playing for Incarnate Word Academy with multiple state championships under her belt. 

Women's Basketball will open the Briley Palmer era on Tuesday, November 5, at Atlantic-10 Conference member, Dayton. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m., CT. in Dayton, Ohio. 
 
2024-25 OVC Women's Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Southern Indiana (20) - 200
2. UT Martin (2) - 180
3. Eastern Illinois - 145
4. Tennessee Tech - 140
5. Little Rock - 135
6. Western Illinois - 119
7. Lindenwood - 81
8. SIUE - 61
     Morehead State - 61
10. Tennessee State – 59
11. Southeast Missouri – 29
 
2024-25 OVC Players to Watch
Eastern Illinois
Macy McGlone, F, Sr., Greenville, Wis.
Lalani Ellis, G, So., Milwaukee, Wis.
 
Lindenwood
Ellie Brueggemann, G, So., Tulsa, Ok.
Brooke Coffey, F, So., St. Charles, Mo.
 
Little Rock
Jayla Brooks, G, Gr., Sachse, Texas
Faith Lee, F, Jr., Monroe, La.
 
Morehead State
Kate Novik, G, So., Grodno, Belarus
Aileen Marquez, G, Sr., Arden, N.C.
 
SIUE
KK Rodriguez, G, Sr., St. Louis, Mo.
Macy Silvey, G, Jr., Glen Carbon, Ill.
 
Southeast Missouri
Indiya Bowen, G, So., Horn Lake Miss.
Zoe Best, G, Fr., St. Louis, Mo.
 
Southern Indiana
Vanessa Shafford, G, Sr., Linton, Ind.
Meredith Raley, F, Gr., Haubstadt, Ind. 
Madi Webb, F, Gr., Bedford, Ind.
 
Tennessee State
Sanaa' St. Andre, G, Gr., Oakdale, La.
XaiOnna Whitfield, G, Fr., Oxford, Ala.
 
Tennessee Tech
Reghan Grimes, G, Jr., Nashville, Tenn.
Peyton Carter, G, Gr., Abingdon, Va.
 
UT Martin
Anaya Brown, F, Jr., Lexington, Ky.
Kenley McCarn, G, Fr., Mountain View, Ark.
 
Western Illinois
Raegan McCowan, G, So., Lebanon, Mo.
Addi Brownfield, G, Jr., Boonville, Mo.