Murray State University Athletics
Racers Tabbed as OVC Favorites as Giustino and Fernandez Named Preseason All-OVC
8/15/2019 10:39:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
After winning their third Ohio Valley Conference tournament in five years in 2018, the Murray State Volleyball team are OVC favorites once again as they have been picked first in the 2019 preseason poll.
The Racers received a total of 228 points, 16 clear of Austin Peay. MSU also half the first-place votes with 12 followed by Austin Peay with six, Morehead State with five, and Jacksonville State with one.
Senior Rachel Giustino and junior Becca Fernandez were also named to the Preseason All-OVC team. Both were named first-team All-OVC in 2018 with Fernandez being named OVC Co-Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league with 581 digs and ranking third with 5.01 digs per set while Giustino led the league with 470 kills and 4.05 kills per set last season.
The Racers will begin the 2019 campaign on August 30 when they take on Valparaiso at the IUPUI Invitational. They will begin OVC play at Eastern Illinois on September 27 before playing their home opener, October 4 against UT Martin.
2019 OVC Volleyball Predicted Team Order of Finish
|
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
|
1. Murray State (12) |
228 |
|
2. Austin Peay (6) |
212 |
|
3. Morehead State (5) |
207 |
|
4. Jacksonville State (1) |
197 |
|
5. SIUE |
149 |
|
6. Southeast Missouri |
146 |
|
7. UT Martin |
117 |
|
8. Tennessee State |
85 |
|
9. Tennessee Tech |
83 |
|
10. Belmont |
66 |
|
11. Eastern Illinois |
64 |
|
12. Eastern Kentucky |
30 |
Â
2019 Preseason All-OVC Volleyball Team
|
 |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Ht. |
Hometown |
|
Ginny Busse (Gerig), Austin Peay |
L |
Sr. |
5-5 |
Towanda, Ill. |
|
Chandler Clark, Morehead State |
S |
R-Jr. |
5-9 |
Seymour, Ind. |
|
Hope Everett, SIUE |
MB |
R-So. |
6-3 |
Norris City, Ill. |
|
Becca Fernandez, Murray State |
L |
Jr. |
5-2 |
Carol Stream, Ill. |
|
Kaylee Frear, Jacksonville State |
OH/MB |
Sr. |
6-3 |
Colorado Springs, Colo. |
|
Rachel Giustino, Murray State |
OH |
Sr. |
5-10 |
Algonquin, Ill. |
|
Lexie Libbs, Jacksonville State |
S |
Jr. |
5-9 |
Floyds Knobs, Ind. |
|
Olivia Lohmeier, Morehead State |
OH |
Jr. |
6-0 |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
|
Rachel McDonald, SIUE |
OH |
Jr. |
6-0 |
Cold Springs, Ky. |
|
Brooke Moore, Austin Peay |
OH |
Jr. |
5-10 |
Louisville, Ky. |
|
Hannah Phillips, UT Martin |
OH |
Sr. |
6-2 |
Orient, Ohio |
|
Julia Pierson, Tennessee State |
UT |
Sr. |
6-0 |
Rowlett, Texas |
|
Lauren Rokey, Morehead State |
OH |
Jr. |
6-0 |
Eureka, Ill. |
|
Rachel Thomas, Tennessee Tech |
MB |
Sr. |
6-2 |
Okemos, Mich. |
|
Anne Wehrheim, Southeast Missouri |
OH |
R-Sr. |
6-0 |
Woodlawn, Ill. |
Â
