BRENTWOOD, Tenn. - The Ohio Valley Conference and Delta Dental of Tennessee have come together to present an opportunity for the fans to vote for their favorite OVC mascot. Delta Dental will make a $1,000 donation to the general scholarship fund of the winning mascot’s university. The winner will be announced on Friday, March 8, at the OVC Basketball Tournament.

Fans can vote today at http://deltadentaltn.com/OVCmascots.aspx, or by visiting the OVC website and clicking on the 2013 Mascot Challenge banner. Voting ends at noon on March 7.

Mascots:

Austin Peay – The Governor
Belmont – Bruiser 
Eastern Illinois – Billy 
Eastern Kentucky – The Colonel
Jacksonville State – Cocky
Morehead State – Beaker
Murray State – Dunker
Southeast Missouri – Rowdy 
SIUE – Eddie the Cougar
Tennessee State – Aristocat
Tennessee Tech – Awesome Eagle
UT Martin – Captain

This is a chance to celebrate the Ohio Valley Conference Mascots. Each mascot plays a role in their schools’ identity, as they bring school spirit and a family friendly atmosphere to the surrounding communities.

“Whether your six or 60, nothing brings smiles to fans faces quite like a mascot,” says Phil Wenk, D.D.S., president and CEO of Delta Dental. “Delta Dental of Tennessee is the ‘proud sponsor of smiles’ and we’re excited to join together with the OVC for the Mascot Challenge.”

About Delta Dental of Tennessee
Delta Dental of Tennessee, with its affiliates in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina and Ohio collectively are among the largest dental plan administrators in the nation. In 2011, the enterprise paid out $2.5 billion for dental treatment for nearly 10.4 million enrollees. Offices are located in Nashville, Knoxville and Memphis, Tenn.; Sherwood and Little Rock, Ark.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; Okemos and Farmington Hills, Mich.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.; and Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio.

About the OVC
Now in its seventh decade of competition, the Ohio Valley Conference has grown significantly from its humble beginnings while increasing the number of athletics opportunities it provides for students. Current league representatives include charter members Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University and Murray State University, along with Austin Peay State University, Belmont University, Eastern Illinois University, Jacksonville State University, Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University and the University of Tennessee at Martin. For more information, please visit www.OVCSports.com.