West Central Reporter

BRENTWOOD, TN - The 2024 NCAA women's soccer season is approaching, and the Ohio Valley Conference has announced its predicted order of finish and players to watch.

Senior attacker/midfielder Kayla Turner was named Western Illinois' representative as a Player to Watch. Turner, entering her fourth season with the Leathernecks, started 16 games as a freshman, scoring once and assisting three goals in the 2021 campaign. She missed most of her sophomore season, playing only three games but returned last season in a super-sub role. Turner scored the Leathernecks' first goal of the OVC conference season, leading Western Illinois to a 1-1 draw at UT Martin. She also assisted in a 3-1 win over Green Bay in 2023 and finished fourth on the team in shot attempts with ten.

In the OVC Preseason Poll, 2023 regular-season champions Tennessee Tech are predicted to finish first with 12 first-place votes. SIUE and Morehead State follow in second and third place respectively, both earning first-place votes.

Little Rock, Southern Indiana, UT Martin, and Southeast Missouri are ranked four through seven respectively and were separated by only ten votes.

Eastern Illinois is ranked eighth with 61 votes, followed by Lindenwood in ninth with 38 votes, and Western Illinois in tenth with 22 votes.

The Leathernecks finished ninth in the conference in 2023 with a record of 1-4-4 in conference play. Western Illinois begins their season on August 15th against Iowa State in Ames.