Redhawks Tabbed Preseason Favorite in 2024 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
2/1/2024 2:00:00 PM | Softball
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri, the reigning Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion, was tabbed the league's preseason favorite for the 2024 season Thursday.
SEMO collected 13 of the possible 20 first-place votes and tallied 157 points in the overall voting by the conference's head softball coaches and communication directors.
Eastern Illinois, which won the OVC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2023, was picked second with 148 points and six first-place nods.
UT Martin earned the remaining first-place vote and is third with 120 points, while Southern Indiana (112 pts.) and SIU Edwardsville (111 pts.) round out the top half.
Tennessee State (80 pts.), Lindenwood (65 pts.), Morehead State (44 pts.), first-year OVC member Western Illinois (33 pts.) and Tennessee Tech (30 pts.) complete this year's predicted order of finish.
In 2023, SEMO won its third OVC regular-season title since the 2019 campaign. The Redhawks were 29-14 overall and 20-2 in conference play. SEMO posted series sweeps against six of its eight league opponents and registered its second-best OVC season in program history.
The Redhawks tore through the conference portion of their schedule outscoring OVC opponents by a staggering +107 margin (149-42). SEMO led the conference in batting average (.358), on-base percentage (.441), slugging percentage (.547), runs (149), hits (209), triples (12), doubles (41), RBI (138) and total bases in league games only. The Redhawks had a 16- game conference winning streak from Mar. 18-Apr. 30 a year ago, as well.
Overall, SEMO topped the OVC with a .311 batting average, 2.70 ERA, 13 triples and a .230 opposing batting average. Redhawk pitchers also had the fewest hits (244), runs (128), earned runs (107) and walks (82) allowed of anyone in the league.
Junior first baseman Aubrie Shore is among the OVC's Players to Watch in 2024.
A native of Mahomet, Illinois, Shore shared this year's OVC Player of the Year honor with Southern Indiana's Allie Goodin. Also a First-Team All-OVC and Third-Team NFCA All-Region pick, she became the sixth SEMO player to win the coveted award. Shore hit .424 with 11 runs, six doubles, six home runs and 26 RBI in 22 league starts. She led SEMO with seven round-trippers for the year. Overall, Shore hit .347 as the Redhawks third-leading hitter in 2023.
SEMO opens its season with five games at the Florida International Felsberg Invitational Feb. 9-11. The Redhawks face Stony Brook and tournament host FIU on Feb. 9. Additionally, SEMO carries a 30-game home winning streak into the 2024 season.
2024 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
Southeast Missouri (13) 157
Eastern Illinois (6) - 148
UT Martin (1) - 120
Southern Indiana - 112
SIUE - 111
Tennessee State - 80
Lindenwood - 65
Morehead State - 44
Western Illinois - 33
Tennessee Tech - 30
2024 OVC Players to Watch
Rachel Kaufman, Eastern Illinois
Amanda Weyh, Lindenwood
Jessie Begley, Morehead State
Aubrie Shore, Southeast Missouri
Sydney Baalman, SIUE
Josie Newman, Southern Indiana
Anayah Baker-Rowell, Tennessee State
Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Tennessee Tech
Kaci Fuller, UT Martin
Bella Alvarez, Western Illinois
SEMO collected 13 of the possible 20 first-place votes and tallied 157 points in the overall voting by the conference's head softball coaches and communication directors.
Eastern Illinois, which won the OVC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2023, was picked second with 148 points and six first-place nods.
UT Martin earned the remaining first-place vote and is third with 120 points, while Southern Indiana (112 pts.) and SIU Edwardsville (111 pts.) round out the top half.
Tennessee State (80 pts.), Lindenwood (65 pts.), Morehead State (44 pts.), first-year OVC member Western Illinois (33 pts.) and Tennessee Tech (30 pts.) complete this year's predicted order of finish.
In 2023, SEMO won its third OVC regular-season title since the 2019 campaign. The Redhawks were 29-14 overall and 20-2 in conference play. SEMO posted series sweeps against six of its eight league opponents and registered its second-best OVC season in program history.
The Redhawks tore through the conference portion of their schedule outscoring OVC opponents by a staggering +107 margin (149-42). SEMO led the conference in batting average (.358), on-base percentage (.441), slugging percentage (.547), runs (149), hits (209), triples (12), doubles (41), RBI (138) and total bases in league games only. The Redhawks had a 16- game conference winning streak from Mar. 18-Apr. 30 a year ago, as well.
Overall, SEMO topped the OVC with a .311 batting average, 2.70 ERA, 13 triples and a .230 opposing batting average. Redhawk pitchers also had the fewest hits (244), runs (128), earned runs (107) and walks (82) allowed of anyone in the league.
Junior first baseman Aubrie Shore is among the OVC's Players to Watch in 2024.
A native of Mahomet, Illinois, Shore shared this year's OVC Player of the Year honor with Southern Indiana's Allie Goodin. Also a First-Team All-OVC and Third-Team NFCA All-Region pick, she became the sixth SEMO player to win the coveted award. Shore hit .424 with 11 runs, six doubles, six home runs and 26 RBI in 22 league starts. She led SEMO with seven round-trippers for the year. Overall, Shore hit .347 as the Redhawks third-leading hitter in 2023.
SEMO opens its season with five games at the Florida International Felsberg Invitational Feb. 9-11. The Redhawks face Stony Brook and tournament host FIU on Feb. 9. Additionally, SEMO carries a 30-game home winning streak into the 2024 season.
2024 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
Southeast Missouri (13) 157
Eastern Illinois (6) - 148
UT Martin (1) - 120
Southern Indiana - 112
SIUE - 111
Tennessee State - 80
Lindenwood - 65
Morehead State - 44
Western Illinois - 33
Tennessee Tech - 30
2024 OVC Players to Watch
Rachel Kaufman, Eastern Illinois
Amanda Weyh, Lindenwood
Jessie Begley, Morehead State
Aubrie Shore, Southeast Missouri
Sydney Baalman, SIUE
Josie Newman, Southern Indiana
Anayah Baker-Rowell, Tennessee State
Mackenzie Fitzgerald, Tennessee Tech
Kaci Fuller, UT Martin
Bella Alvarez, Western Illinois
Players Mentioned
INF
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