Southeast Missouri has been picked to win the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference women’s soccer crown as voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. The Redhawks, who won their third regular-season title in 2007, received 16 of the 18 first-place votes and 128 points. Murray State picked up the remaining two first-place nods and 104 points while Eastern Illinois and UT Martin each earned 85 points. Morehead State is selected to finish fifth with 82 points followed by Eastern Kentucky (45 points), Jacksonville State (44 points), Austin Peay (39 points) and Tennessee Tech (36 points).
Southeast Missouri is coming off its third OVC regular-season title and second tournament crown after going 8-0-1 in Conference action and posting a 12-2-4 overall mark last year. Heather Nelson enters her 10th season as the the head coach of the Redhawks and welcomes back four starters among 12 letterwinners from a year ago. Sophomore forward Ashley Runion and sophomore midfielder Vanassa Hart are are among the top returning starters. Runion, a St. Peter’s, Mo., native, was named the 2007 OVC Freshman of the Year after leading the league with 27 points and ranking second with 11 goals. A product of Dubbo, Australia, Hart started in all 18 games for the Redhawks while recording one goal and two assists last season.
Murray State compiled a 6-3 league record while going 11-8 overall to finish third in 2007. Entering her third year at the helm of the Racers, Beth Acreman returns 13 letter winners from a year ago. Among the top returnees are senior forwards Rebekah Clay (Bloomington, Ill.) and Krista Muilkens (Island Lake, Ill.). Clay ranked second in the league with three game-winning goals last season while also finishing among league leaders in goals (6), assists (6) and points (18). Muilkens was tied for second on the squad with five goals while also recording two assists last season.
Eastern Illinois finished the 2007 season with a 8-11-1 overall record while going 4-5 in the OVC to finish sixth. Tim Nowak begins his fifth year as the head coach of the Panther soccer team and will have five starters among nine letterwinners back from last season. Junior midfielder Alexis Miller and junior goalkeeper Jenny Williams are two of the five starters returning this year. Miller, a St. Peter’s, Mo., native, recorded six assists to rank fourth in the OVC in 2007. She also finished the season with four goals and 14 points. A product of Quincy, Ill., Williams ranked second in the Conference with five shutouts last season to go with 63 saves and a 1.33 goals-against average.
UT Martin went 10-6-3 overall while going 4-2-3 in the OVC to finish fourth last year. Craig Roberts, who enters his third year as the head coach of the Skyawks, welcomes back 13 letterwinners from last year. Among the top returnees are junior midfielder Sophie Cox (Rolla, Mo.) and senior forward Jody Kiers (Ontario, Canada). Cox played in all 19 games for the Skyhawks and ranked in the league’s top 10 with six goals. Keirs recorded five goals on 29 shots in 19 games last year.
The 2008 OVC Soccer season gets underway on Aug. 22 while Conference action starts Sept. 26.
2008 OVC WOMEN’S SOCCER PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(As selected by the OVC Women’s Head Soccer Coaches and Sports Information Directors)
1. Southeast Missouri (16 first-place votes) - 128
2. Murray State (Two first-place votes) - 104
t3. Eastern Illinois - 85
t3. UT Martin - 85
5. Morehead State - 82
6. Eastern Kentucky - 45
7. Jacksonville State - 44
8. Austin Peay - 39
9. Tennessee Tech - 36