BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - Southeast Missouri has been picked as the 2025 Ohio Valley Conference preseason baseball favorite in a vote of OVC head baseball coaches and communications directors.
The Redhawks picked up 13 of 20 first-place votes and 157 points in being picked first, ahead of Little Rock, who earned five first-place votes and 144 points. Tennessee Tech was tabbed third (118) while Morehead State earned one first-place vote and finished fourth (107). Eastern Illinois was predicted fifth (92) while SIUE earned the final first-place vote and was tabbed sixth (89). The poll was rounded out by UT Martin (69), Southern Indiana (57), Lindenwood (45) and Western Illinois (22).
A year ago Southeast Missouri finished second in the OVC during the regular season, one game out of first place. As the No. 2 seed in the OVC Tournament, the Redhawks compiled a 3-1 record in the tournament, knocking off Morehead State to earn its third OVC crown in the past four teams and sixth overall. In the NCAA Regional, SEMO would lose it first game before rebounding to defeat Louisiana Tech and host Arkansas before falling to Kansas State in the Regional Final.
There are two new head coaches in the OVC this season, with Chris Ramirez taking over at Southern Indiana while Chris Rose is in his first year as Morehead State's head coach after spending the previous three years on the staff as an assistant coach.
Each head coach selected one "Player to Watch" to represent their team in the preseason.
The 77th season of OVC baseball will get underway on Friday, February 14 with the first weekend of league play being held March 21-23.
The 2025 OVC Baseball Championship presented by SERVPRO will feature the top eight teams squaring off at Mtn Dew Park in Marion, Illinois from May 21-24. This marks the third-straight year and fourth overall time the event has been held at the venue. SERVPRO was announced as “The Official Restoration Services Partner of the OVC” in November 2023 and is serving as the presenting sponsor for the second-straight year.
2025 OVC Baseball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Southeast Missouri (13 first-place votes) - 157 points
2. Little Rock (5) - 144
3. Tennessee Tech - 118
4. Morehead State (1) - 107
5. Eastern Illinois - 92
6. SIUE (1) - 89
7. UT Martin - 69
8. Southern Indiana - 57
9. Lindenwood - 45
10. Western Illinois - 22
Teams voted on by league head coaches and communications directors; teams received 9 points for a first-place votes, 8 for a second-place vote, etc.
2025 Players to Watch
Each team selected a "Player to Watch" to represent its team.
Eastern Illinois -
Tyler Conklin (RHP, Sr.)
Lindenwood -
Josh Newell (RHP, Jr.)
Little Rock -
Jackson Wells (RHP, Sr.)
Morehead State -
Davis Germann (OF, R-So.)
Southeast Missouri -
Brooks Kettering (2B, So.)
SIUE -
Ryan Niedzwiedz (INF, So.)
Southern Indiana -
Blake Kimball (RHP, Jr.)
Tennessee Tech -
Nicho Jordan (OF, Sr.)
UT Martin -
T.J. Grines (2B, Jr.)
Western Illinois -
Tyler Large (OF, Jr.)