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Defending Ohio Valley Conference regular season champion Eastern Illinois was picked to finish third in this year's conference softball race as the league released its preseason predicted order of finish and other information on Thursday.
 
EIU won the 2023 OVC Tournament to make the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance.   The Panthers returned last season to win the regular season title but lost in the OVC Championship game finishing with a 40-17 record.
 
EIU returns OVC Player of the Year Kendall Grover and OVC Freshman of the Year McKenzie Oslanzi from that team for first year co-head coaches Kristi Paulson and Dan Paulson. 
 
Grover and Oslanzi both earned first team All-OVC honors last year and are joined by returning second team All-OVC selection Karson Davey.
 
In addition to the preseason order of the finish, a player to watch was selected from each team with senior shortstop Briana Gonzalez the Panthers selection.  Gonzalez hit .299 with eight home runs and 39 RBI.
 
Grover was among the league leaders in just about every offensive category hitting .354 with 18 doubles, 10 home runs, 46 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
 
Oslanzi was dominant in the circle posting a 21-5 record with a 1.70 ERA and 149 strikeouts.  She also hit for herself and in the designated player role with a .260 average and 26 RBI
 
Davey hit .296 at the plate and was instrumental in setting the table for the Panthers offense with 12 sacrifice bunts adding seven doubles and 14 stolen bases.
 
Southeast Missouri was tabbed the league favorite with nine of the 20 first place votes.  SEMO beat EIU in the OVC Tournament Championship game last season
 
Southern Indiana was second with six first place votes followed by EIU with five first place votes.   Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech rounded out the top five schools in the preseason poll.
 
EIU opens the season on February 7 at the Incarnate Word Tournament in San Antonio, Texas.
 
 
2025 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
1. Southeast Missouri (9) - 152
2. Southern Indiana (6) - 140
3. Eastern Illinois (5) - 139
4. Tennessee State - 107
5. Tennessee Tech -82
6. Lindenwood - 80
7. UT Martin - 74
8. SIUE - 73
9. Morehead State - 30
10. Western Illinois - 23
 
 
2025 OVC Softball Players to Watch
 
Eastern Illinois
Briana Gonzalez, Sr., IF, Huntington Beach, Calif.
 
Lindenwood
Irelynn West, Sr., OF, Kansas City, Mo
 
Morehead State
Darlene Montoya, Sr., OF, San Bernardino, Calif.
 
Southeast Missouri
Aubrie Shore, Sr., 1B, Mahomet, Ill.
 
Southern Indiana
Josie Newman, Sr., P, Indianapolis, Ind.
 
SIUE
Lauryn Yslava, Sr., OF, Gilroy, Calif.
 
Tennessee State
Anayah Baker-Rowell, Gr., 3B, Douglassville, Ga.
 
Tennessee Tech
1B, Sydney Kirby, Sr., 1B, Cypress, Texas
 
UT Martin
Kennedy Brown, Jr., 3B, Lexington, Tenn.
 
Western Illinois
Rylee Boone, Jr., OF, LaCygne, Kan.