Lindenwood finished fifth in its first season in the OVC last year, with a 1-3 league mark and a 7-3 overall record. (Photo: Cedric Williams)
Cedric Williams
Senior Editor
NASHVILLE, TN — The first season of Big South-Ohio Valley Conference joint football kicked off on Tuesday with the league media day.
Coaches and players from all over both conferences, and both league commissioners met with reporters to discuss the leagues joining together for the upcoming season.
The Big South-OVC also released its 2023 preseason poll on Tuesday, with 2022 OVC league champ, Southeast Missouri State picked as the favorite to win the conference championship this year.
The Redhawks received eight of the 12 first-place votes and had a league-best 96 overall points. 2022 Big South league champ Gardner-Webb finished second, with two first-place votes and 86 total points.
Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee Tech got the other first-place votes and came in third and fourth, respectively, with Tennessee State coming in next to round out the Top 5.
Lindenwood was picked to finish seventh in the preseason poll, after totaling 45 points.
Last year, the Lions went 7-3 in their first season as an NCAA Division I team and finished fifth in the OVC with a 1-3 league mark.
This season, the Lions will be a new-look squad. Four-year starting, all-conference quarterback Cade Brister and all-conference receivers Payton Rose and Kobe Smith have all graduated.
So this year, Lindenwood will rely on an almost completely new starting lineup on offense, led by junior quarterback Cole Dugger and the return of redshirt sophomore running back Robert Giaimo, who missed the second half of last season due to an injury.
The defense will be led by all-conference defensive lineman Kobe McClendon and all-conference defensive back Darion Bolden.
The Lions will begin summer training camp in just over a week, on Thursday, August 3, as they prepare for the 2023 season opener on Thursday, August 31, at Hunter Stadium against Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
