By JOHN BOHNENKAMP

Western Illinois’ move to the Ohio Valley Conference is all about balance for women’s basketball coach JD Gravina.

South Dakota State won last season’s Summit League regular-season title with an 18-0 conference record. A year before, the Jackrabbits and South Dakota tied for first at 17-1. South Dakota State went 14-0 in 2021.

Gravina sees a little more parity in the OVC.

“Joining a new conference,” he said, “is going to give us a fresh start.”

The parity is something noticed when Gravina was putting together his preseason poll. The Leathernecks, who went 10-20 overall and 5-13 in the Summit League, were picked 10th in the 11-team OVC poll.

“On paper I can see how it would happen,” Gravina said. “But when I was picking the teams, I might as well have been throwing darts at a dartboard, because I really had no idea who would finish second or who would finish ninth.”

The players seem to appreciate the fresh start.

“Being in the Summit League, you knew where everyone stood at the beginning,” said sophomore guard Allie Meadows. “In the OVC, it’s completely new to us. And I think it gives us motivation to show teams what we can do.”

“It’s just different opportunities,” senior guard Mallory McDermott said. “We don’t know how these teams play, but they don’t know how we play. And that’s going to be exciting every night.”

If anything, Gravina said, there is a diversity of styles among the OVC teams.

“I think what you get is a diverse playing style,” Gravina said. “In the Summit, you did have a little bit of varying styles, but the good teams all played a similar way. In the OVC, you have teams like Little Rock, which guards the heck out of you and wins games in the 40s. Then you have Tennessee Tech, which is a little more offensive-minded and plays more open like us. I think that diversity in playing style will be fun from a coaching perspective.”

The Leathernecks, who open the season on Monday at home against Mount Mercy University, bring back four starters from last season, including guard Anna Deets, a preseason all-conference selection. Deets averaged 12.4 points and had 49 3-pointers.

Center Alissa Dins and guards Addi Brownfield and Carla Flores are the other returning starters. McDermott, who made 36 3-pointers last season, is a starting candidate, as is Meadows. Guard Lily Randgaard and forward Kennedy Flanagan also return and could be a part of the rotation.

But Gravina also has four freshmen — forward Maria Messling and guard Raegan McCowan, Ainsley Holthaus and Kaylen Reed — and forward Jasmine Nchols who can contend for playing time.

“We’ve got a great combination of young kids, and the experienced players,” Gravina said. “A big key is going to be our unselfishness.”

“I like the blend we have,” McDermott said. “I think we have young kids who are excited to play. They run, they gun.

“We’ve got to blend this group. How do they fit together? I think it’s going to be a team that’s going to be fun to watch.”

Photo: Western Illinois guard Anna Deets (left) was a preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference selection. (Dave Eggen/Inertia)