2019-20 Media OVC Preseason Men's Predicted Order of Finish

2019-20 Media OVC Preseason Women's Predicted Order of Finish

For the sixth year in a row the Ohio Valley Conference has conducted a Preseason Men's and Women's Media Poll prior to the start of the season. In total 15 voters from around the league cast a ballot on whom they thought would be the 2019-20 basketball favorites and preseason players of the year.The OVC will release its preseason poll and All-OVC team, as voted on by league head coaches and sports information directors, on Tuesday, October 22 during the league's annual Media Day in Evansville.The media panel picked the Belmont men's and women's teams as the preseason favorites. In addition, Austin Peay junior guard/forward Terry Taylor and Belmont senior forward Ellie Harmeyer were tabbed the OVC Preseason Players of the Year.In the men's voting, Belmont was one of three teams to pick up first-place votes, picking up 11 votes and 176 points to be tabbed the preseason favorite. Two-time defending tournament champion Murray State received three first-place votes and 165 points while Austin Peay picked up the other first-place vote and 138 points. Jacksonville State was tabbed fourth (126) and followed by UT Martin (125), Eastern Illinois and Morehead State (90 apiece), Tennessee State (74), Eastern Kentucky (63), Tennessee Tech (53), SIUE (37) and Southeast Missouri (33).In women's voting it was four-time defending OVC Tournament champion Belmont that picked up 11 first-place votes and 175 points in being tabbed the preseason favorite. Tennessee Tech received two first-place votes and 156 points in being picked second, UT Martin got one first-place vote and 155 points and Morehead State received the other first-place vote and 122 points in finishing fourth. Austin Peay was predicted fifth (119) and followed by Jacksonville State (92), Southeast Missouri (87), SIUE (82), Murray State (78), Eastern Illinois (50), Tennessee State (32) and Eastern Kentucky (32).Pollsters for the 2019-20 OVC Media Poll included: Mike Bradd, Eastern Illinois Radio; Neal Bradley, Murray State Radio; Wes Chandler, Eastern Kentucky Sports Network; Patrick Engel, Journal Gazette & Times-Courier; Edward Marlowe, Paducah Sun; Mike Organ, The Tennessean; Harry Schroeder, ValleyHoopsInsider.com; Greg Stotelmyer, Eastern Kentucky Sports Network, Rich Tiner, Belmont Radio Network; Kevin Weaks, Union City Messenger1. Belmont (11 first-place votes) - 176 points2. Murray State (3) - 1653. Austin Peay (1) - 1384. Jacksonville State - 1265. UT Martin - 1256. Eastern Illinois - 90Morehead State - 908. Tennessee State - 749. Eastern Kentucky - 6310. Tennessee Tech - 5311. SIUE - 3712. Southeast Missouri - 33Terry Taylor, Austin Peay1. Belmont (11 first-place votes) - 175 points2. Tennessee Tech (2) - 1563. UT Martin (1) - 1554. Morehead State (1) - 1225. Austin Peay - 1196. Jacksonville State - 927. Southeast Missouri - 878. SIUE - 829. Murray State - 7810. Eastern Illinois - 5011. Tennessee State - 3212. Eastern Kentucky - 22Ellie Harmeyer, Belmont