OVC softball poll released, Southeast throwers earn weekly honors

The Southeast Missouri State softball team was predicted to finish 11th out of 12 teams in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll.

The Redhawks received 48 points in the poll, which was voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors, and was released Wednesday.

Southeast finished 3-20 in the OVC last season, failing to make the league's postseason tournament for the third year in a row.

The Redhawks will begin their first season under coach Mark Redburn at the Mardi Gras Classic in Monroe, Louisiana, on Feb. 13.

Defending OVC tournament champion SIU Edwardsville were picked as the favorites, receiving 238 points and 18 first-place votes. Jacksonville State, the defending regular-season conference champion, was picked second with 215 points and five first-place votes. Eastern Kentucky received the final first-place vote and 191 points for third.

Murray State (185), UT Martin (156), Tennessee Tech (142), Eastern Illinois (141) and Morehead State (8) were picked fourth through eighth, respectively.

Austin Peay and Belmont were tied for ninth with 73 points apiece, followed by Southeast with 48 and Tennessee State with 34.

Southeast thrower Kevin Farley repeats as the OVC male field Athlete of the Week and Kayla Gutierrez was selected as the female field Athlete of the Week, the conference announced Wednesday.

Farley claimed the top spot in the weight throw and the shot put at the Illini Classic on Saturday.

His throw of 69 feet, 6 1/4 inches, broke the school record in the weight throw. He had set the record on Dec. 5 at the Eastern Illinois Early Bird. He won the shot put with a distance of 59-11.

Gutierrez won the weight throw with a distance of 61-9 3/4 and finished second in the shot put with a throw of 46-8 1/4 on Saturday.

The Redhawks return to action against SIU Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois, on Saturday.