CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Ohio Valley Conference coaches and sports information directors have picked Austin Peay State University's volleyball team to finish sixth in the preseason poll released by the conference office, Wednesday.

Morehead State was picked to win the 2010 OVC race, receiving 153 points and getting 11 of the 20 first-place votes. Jacksonville State, the defending regular-season and tournament champion, was picked to finish second after receiving 139 points and the remaining nine first-place votes.

Murray State (133 points), Eastern Kentucky (105) and Tennessee Tech (99) also were picked to finish ahead of the Lady Govs.

Austin Peay received 93 points to receive the sixth-place nod, the final spot in the season-ending OVC Volleyball Championship. It was followed by Southeast Missouri (65 points), Eastern Illinois (41), Tennessee State (39) and UT Martin (33).

"The sixth seed ranking was expected after losing our senior class," said Janicek. "It speaks very highly of them and how important they were to our success. However, we had an incredibly productive spring and got better across the board. Our staff is extremely encouraged and has full confidence that out team will be successful this fall."

Two Lady Govs - senior setter Sarah Alisaleh and senior middle blocker Jessica Mollman - were named to the 14-person preseason All-OVC volleyball team. Alisaleh returns after receiving first-team All-OVC honors last season. She recorded 1,141 assists last season - averaging a league-best 10.56 assists per set - becoming only the fourth player to record multiple 1,000-assist campaigns in their career. Mollman earned second-team All-OVC recognition last season after posting a .312 attack percentage in league play that was seventh best among hitters. She also recorded 36 blocks (0.59 blocks per set) in conference action.

They will be joined by an experienced corps that includes a third senior middle blocker Taylor Skinner and four juniors - libero Paige Economos, outside hitter Kayla Grantham, outside hitter Ilyanna Hernandez and setter Marie Mullins. Sophomore Alex Sain and redshirt sophomore Nikki Doyle are also expected to provide critical input. Finally, four incoming freshmen - outside hitter Calyn Hull, libero Taylor Slyder, middle blocker Lauren Henderson and libero Molly Silkowski will be given opportunities throughout the season.

Austin Peay's volleyball team begins it preparation for the upcoming 2010 season this weekend as players begin reporting back Sunday followed by the team's first practice, Monday morning.

- AP -