Morehead State has been picked to win the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Volleyball crown in a vote of the league’s head coaches and communication directors. The Eagles earned nine first-place votes and 153 points while Southeast Missouri picked up seven first place votes and 145 points to be selected to finish second. UT Martin was tabbed third with two first place votes and 125 points. Tennessee Tech earned two first place votes and 120 points for a fourth-place predicted finish while newcomer Little Rock completes the top five with 95 points. Rounding out the poll are Eastern Illinois (66), SIUE (63), Southern Indiana (48), Lindenwood (43) and Tennessee State (42).
Morehead State went 20-11 overall and 14-4 in the OVC to earn a share of the regular season title last year. Jaime Gordon enters his 20th season at the helm of the Eagles and will have three preseason All-OVC selections back this season in setter Bridget Bessler, middle blocker Irene Wogenstahl and outside hitter Abby Hulsman. Bessler, who was named to the All-OVC First Team last season, dished out 1058 assist over 98 sets for 10.80 assists per set to rank second in the OVC. A 2021 All-OVC Second Team pick, Wogenstahl recorded 223 kills, 86 kills and 43 digs last season. Hulsman ranked in the league’s top ten in kills per set with 3.24 each time out.
Southeast Missouri is coming off a season in which it went 25-8 overall and 14-4 in the OVC to earn a share of the regular season title. The Redhawks went on to win the OVC Volleyball Championship. Julie Yankus enters her 12th season as the head coach of Southeast Missouri and will have a trio of preseason All-OVC selections on the court this season in outside hitter Zoey Beasley, libero Tara Beilsmith and right side hitter Colby Greene. Beasley, a 2021 All-OVC First Team pick, ranked fifth in the league last year with 3.43 kills per set. A 2021 All-OVC Second Team selection, Beilsmith finished third in the conference with 5.20 digs per set. Greene recorded 326 kills, 68 blocks and 53 digs last season.
UT Martin finished last season in a tie for fourth place with a 11-7 league mark while going 15-17 overall. Jaclynn Wilson is in her eighth season at the helm of Skyhawks and will have three preseason All-OVC picks back this year in middle blocker/opposite side hitter, middle blocker Olivia Saunders and outside hitter Logan Wallick. Scanlon was named to the 2021 All-OVC First Team after recording 325 kills, 241 digs and 112 blocks last season. Saunders, who was selected to the 2021 All-OVC second team, ranked sixth with a .275 hitting percentage while also recording 213 kills, 90 blocks and 43 digs a year ago. Wallick recorded 202 kills, 45 digs and 41 blocks in 2021.
The 2022 All-OVC preseason team features 14 members from seven different schools. Joining Bessler, Wogenstahl, Hulsman, Beasley, Beilsmith, Greene, Scanlon, Saunders and Wallick are: Tennessee Tech middle blocker Taylor Dorsey and outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen; Little Rock outside hitter/right side hitter Nedima Kamberovic; Southern Indiana outside hitter Leah Anderson; and Tennessee State libero Gina Rivera-Ortiz.
The 2022 volleyball season will feature three new teams in Little Rock, Lindenwood and Southern Indiana. The regular-season gets underway on August 26 with OVC play beginning September 20.
2022 Preseason All-OVC Volleyball Team
( as Selected by OVC Head Volleyball Coaches and Communication Directors)
Zoey Beasley, Southeast Missouri
Bridget Bessler, Morehead State
Taylor Dorsey, Tennessee Tech
Gina Rivera-Ortiz, Tennessee State
Karen Scanlon, UT Martin
Tara Beilsmith, Southeast Missouri
Olivia Saunders, UT Martin
Irene Wogenstahl, Morehead State
Madolyn Isringhausen, Tennessee Tech
Abby Hulsman, Morehead State
Logan Wallick, UT Martin.
Colby Greene, Southeast Missouri
Leah Anderson, Southern Indiana
Nedima Kamberovic, Little Rock
2022 OVC Volleyball Predicted Team Order of Finish
(as Selected by OVC Head Volleyball Coaches and Communication Directors)
1. Morehead State (Nine first-place votes) - 153
2. Southeast Missouri (Seven first-place votes) - 145
3. UT Martin (Two first-place votes) - 125
4. Tennessee Tech (Two first-place votes) - 120
5. Little Rock - 95
6. Eastern Illinois - 66
7. SIUE - 63
8. Southern Indiana - 48
9. Lindenwood - 43
10. Tennessee State - 42