NASHVILLE — The Tennessee State softball team was picked to finish fourth in the upcoming Ohio Valley Conference season, as voted on by the league's head coaches.
The Tigers are coming off a 26-25 record, their first winning season since 2007. Under then-third-year head coach Genee McRath, TSU secured two wins in the OVC Tournament.
Graduate student Anayah Baker-Rowell was named an OVC Player to Watch after posting a career-best .286 batting average with two home runs and 26 RBIs last season. She also set career highs in hits (46), runs (25), and triples (6) while tying her personal best with 10 doubles.
Junior catcher Onnika Spencer is TSU's lone returner from last season's All-OVC team. Spencer hit .348 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs while recording career highs in doubles (12), triples (1), and a .985 fielding percentage.
Southeast Missouri received nine first-place votes and 157 points to earn the top spot in the preseason poll. Southern Indiana, with six first-place votes and 140 points, was picked second, followed by Eastern Illinois, which garnered five first-place votes and 139 points. Tennessee State ranked fourth with 107 points. Rounding out the top five was Tennessee Tech with 82 points, followed by Lindenwood (80), UT Martin (74), SIUE (73), Morehead State (30), and Western Illinois (23).
2025 OVC Softball Predicted Order of Finish
(As voted on by the league's head softball coaches and communication directors)
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
(Schools were not allowed to rank their own teams. Nine points were awarded for a first-place vote, eight for second, etc.)
2025 OVC 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
Sydney Kirby, Sr., 1B, Cypress, Texas
UT Martin
Kennedy Brown, Jr., 3B, Lexington, Tenn.
Western Illinois
Rylee Boone, Jr., OF, LaCygne, Kan.
Returning 2024 All-OVC Selections
Pitchers
McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois
Josie Newman, Southern Indiana
Catchers
Onnika Spencer, Tennessee State
Infielders
Kendall Grover, Eastern Illinois
Aubrie Shore, Southeast Missouri
Sydney Kirby, Tennessee Tech
Outfielders
Irelynn West, Lindenwood
Malia Robertson, Western Illinois
Caroline Stapleton, Southern Indiana
Karson Davey, Eastern Illinois
