Cross Country Picked Second In OVC Polls
Thursday, August 18 2011Six top runners return for EIU men and women
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – In a preseason vote of head cross country coaches in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Eastern Kentucky University men's and women's teams were picked as the favorites for the 2011 season.
Last season the EKU men's team claimed its 19th OVC championship and fifth in a row while the Colonel women's program took home its 25th overall title and fifth in a row at the event held at the Southern Hills Golf Course just outside Cookeville, Tenn.
On the men's side Eastern Kentucky (81 points, 9 first-place votes) was followed by Eastern Illinois (71 points, 1 first-place vote), Southeast Missouri State (65), Austin Peay (52), Morehead State (45), UT Martin (38), Tennessee Tech (35), Jacksonville State (32), Murray State (22) and Tennessee State (9).
On the women's side, Eastern Kentucky (80 points, 8 first-place votes) was followed by Eastern Illinois (74 points, 2 first-place votes), Southeast Missouri State (57), Murray State (56), Jacksonville State (52), Austin Peay (41), Tennessee Tech (37), UT Martin (24), Morehead State (20) and Tennessee State (9).
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, who joined the OVC in July 2008, is still in a reclassification process to Division I and will not compete at the OVC Cross Country Championship this season. They will be eligible for the 2012 event, when the Conference also expands to include Belmont University.
The 2011 Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships will be held October 29 in Richmond, Ky. with Eastern Kentucky University serving as the host. The first regular season action of the 2011 season occurs the first weekend of September.
MEN'S PREVIEW
The top four finishers from the 2010 OVC Men's Cross Country Championship return this season to try to repeat their performances from a year ago.
All four of those runners are from defending champion Eastern Kentucky, who also return the 10th, 12th and 14th place finishers from 2010 as well. That group is led by 2010 individual champion Soufiane Bouchikhi, who won the event as a freshman in a time of 24:56.73. He would go on to finish third at the Southeast Regional Championship and 49th at the NCAA National Championship. Also back for the Colonels are junior Victor Kemboi (2nd), senior Evans Kiptoo (3rd) and senior David Mutuse (4th).
Eastern Illinois finished third at the OVC Championship last season and are tabbed second this season. The Panthers return senior Brad LaRocque who was seventh at the Championship last season as well as senior Matt Feldhake (27th). This year the team is in search of its eighth OVC Championship and first since 2005.
Southeast Missouri was picked third after finishing second a season ago. The Redhawks return senior Nate Shipley who was the OVC Freshman of the Year in 2008 and was ninth at the Championship a year ago.
2011 OVC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the OVC head cross country coaches)
TEAM POINTS
1. Eastern Kentucky (9 first-place votes) 81
2. Eastern Illinois (1) 71
3. Southeast Missouri 65
4. Austin Peay 52
5. Morehead State 45
6. UT Martin 38
7. Tennessee Tech 35
8. Jacksonville State 32
9. Murray State 22
10. Tennessee State 9
(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)
Top 10 Men's Cross Country Returnees
(Based on Finish at 2010 OVC Championship)
Runner Yr. 2010 Finish (Time)
Soufiane Bouchikhi, Eastern Kentucky So. 1st (24:56.73)
Victor Kemboi, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 2nd (25:19.63)
Evans Kiptoo, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 3rd (25:29.16)
David Mutuse, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 4th (25:35.22)
Brad LaRocque, Eastern Illinois Sr. 7th (25:44.87)
Nate Shipley, Southeast Missouri Sr. 9th (25:58.93)
Daniel Jones, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 10th (26:04.15)
Musa Kimuli, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 12th (26:13.29)
Chris Rice, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 14th (26:17.83)
Geofrey Kosgei, Austin Peay Jr. 16th (26:27.82)
WOMEN'S PREVIEW
On the women's side seven of the top nine finishers from the 2010 Championship are back, although last year's individual champion (EKU's Kat Pagano) has now graduated.
Despite the graduation of Pagano, Eastern Kentucky has four of the top 10 returning finishers from last year's race including junior Jackline Barkechir who was second last year and junior Picoty Leitich who finished third at last year's Championship. The Colonels attack will also be bolstered by the return of senior Lydia Kosgei, who placed 16th at the 2009 OVC Championship but redshirted in cross country a season ago. Despite redshirting in cross country, Kosgei did compete in track and field last year and was 17th at the NCAA Championship in the 5,000 meters.
Eastern Illinois was second a year ago and picked to finish in that same spot this season. Five of the top 10 returning finishers from a season ago are on the Panthers roster this season. That group includes junior Olivia Klaus (4th a season ago), junior Gabriela Duenas (7th), senior Brittany Arthur (9th), senior Megan Gingerich (11th) and junior Erika Ramos (14th).
Just one point separated Southeast Missouri (picked third) and Murray State (picked fourth) in the preseason poll. Jacksonville State, who was fourth at the event last year, was picked fifth. The Gamecocks return junior Ericka Stam who was fifth overall at the OVC Championship last year, earning first-team All-OVC honors.
2011 OVC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the OVC head cross country coaches)
TEAM POINTS
1. Eastern Kentucky (8 first-place votes) 80
2. Eastern Illinois (2) 74
3. Southeast Missouri 57
4. Murray State 56
5. Jacksonville State 52
6. Austin Peay 41
7. Tennessee Tech 37
8. UT Martin 24
9. Morehead State 20
10. Tennessee State 9
(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)
Top 10 Women's Cross Country Returnees
(Based on Finish at 2010 OVC Championship)
Runner Yr. 2010 Finish (Time)
Jackline Barkechir, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 2nd (18:40.72)
Picoty Leitich, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 3rd (18:46.74)
Olivia Klaus, Eastern Illinois Jr. 4th (18:48.11)
Ericka Stam, Jacksonville State Jr. 5th (18:49.12)
Gabriela Duenas, Eastern Illinois Jr. 7th (19:01.41)
Danielle Mason, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 8th (19:02.79)
Brittany Arthur, Eastern Illinois Sr. 9th (19:06.16)
Megan Gingerich, Eastern Illinois Sr. 11th (19:09.78)
Hannah Miller, Eastern Kentucky So. 12th (19:10.40)
Erika Ramos, Eastern Illinois Jr. 14th (19:14.61)
Last season the EKU men's team claimed its 19th OVC championship and fifth in a row while the Colonel women's program took home its 25th overall title and fifth in a row at the event held at the Southern Hills Golf Course just outside Cookeville, Tenn.
On the men's side Eastern Kentucky (81 points, 9 first-place votes) was followed by Eastern Illinois (71 points, 1 first-place vote), Southeast Missouri State (65), Austin Peay (52), Morehead State (45), UT Martin (38), Tennessee Tech (35), Jacksonville State (32), Murray State (22) and Tennessee State (9).
On the women's side, Eastern Kentucky (80 points, 8 first-place votes) was followed by Eastern Illinois (74 points, 2 first-place votes), Southeast Missouri State (57), Murray State (56), Jacksonville State (52), Austin Peay (41), Tennessee Tech (37), UT Martin (24), Morehead State (20) and Tennessee State (9).
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, who joined the OVC in July 2008, is still in a reclassification process to Division I and will not compete at the OVC Cross Country Championship this season. They will be eligible for the 2012 event, when the Conference also expands to include Belmont University.
The 2011 Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships will be held October 29 in Richmond, Ky. with Eastern Kentucky University serving as the host. The first regular season action of the 2011 season occurs the first weekend of September.
MEN'S PREVIEW
The top four finishers from the 2010 OVC Men's Cross Country Championship return this season to try to repeat their performances from a year ago.
All four of those runners are from defending champion Eastern Kentucky, who also return the 10th, 12th and 14th place finishers from 2010 as well. That group is led by 2010 individual champion Soufiane Bouchikhi, who won the event as a freshman in a time of 24:56.73. He would go on to finish third at the Southeast Regional Championship and 49th at the NCAA National Championship. Also back for the Colonels are junior Victor Kemboi (2nd), senior Evans Kiptoo (3rd) and senior David Mutuse (4th).
Eastern Illinois finished third at the OVC Championship last season and are tabbed second this season. The Panthers return senior Brad LaRocque who was seventh at the Championship last season as well as senior Matt Feldhake (27th). This year the team is in search of its eighth OVC Championship and first since 2005.
Southeast Missouri was picked third after finishing second a season ago. The Redhawks return senior Nate Shipley who was the OVC Freshman of the Year in 2008 and was ninth at the Championship a year ago.
2011 OVC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the OVC head cross country coaches)
TEAM POINTS
1. Eastern Kentucky (9 first-place votes) 81
2. Eastern Illinois (1) 71
3. Southeast Missouri 65
4. Austin Peay 52
5. Morehead State 45
6. UT Martin 38
7. Tennessee Tech 35
8. Jacksonville State 32
9. Murray State 22
10. Tennessee State 9
(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)
Top 10 Men's Cross Country Returnees
(Based on Finish at 2010 OVC Championship)
Runner Yr. 2010 Finish (Time)
Soufiane Bouchikhi, Eastern Kentucky So. 1st (24:56.73)
Victor Kemboi, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 2nd (25:19.63)
Evans Kiptoo, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 3rd (25:29.16)
David Mutuse, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 4th (25:35.22)
Brad LaRocque, Eastern Illinois Sr. 7th (25:44.87)
Nate Shipley, Southeast Missouri Sr. 9th (25:58.93)
Daniel Jones, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 10th (26:04.15)
Musa Kimuli, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 12th (26:13.29)
Chris Rice, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 14th (26:17.83)
Geofrey Kosgei, Austin Peay Jr. 16th (26:27.82)
WOMEN'S PREVIEW
On the women's side seven of the top nine finishers from the 2010 Championship are back, although last year's individual champion (EKU's Kat Pagano) has now graduated.
Despite the graduation of Pagano, Eastern Kentucky has four of the top 10 returning finishers from last year's race including junior Jackline Barkechir who was second last year and junior Picoty Leitich who finished third at last year's Championship. The Colonels attack will also be bolstered by the return of senior Lydia Kosgei, who placed 16th at the 2009 OVC Championship but redshirted in cross country a season ago. Despite redshirting in cross country, Kosgei did compete in track and field last year and was 17th at the NCAA Championship in the 5,000 meters.
Eastern Illinois was second a year ago and picked to finish in that same spot this season. Five of the top 10 returning finishers from a season ago are on the Panthers roster this season. That group includes junior Olivia Klaus (4th a season ago), junior Gabriela Duenas (7th), senior Brittany Arthur (9th), senior Megan Gingerich (11th) and junior Erika Ramos (14th).
Just one point separated Southeast Missouri (picked third) and Murray State (picked fourth) in the preseason poll. Jacksonville State, who was fourth at the event last year, was picked fifth. The Gamecocks return junior Ericka Stam who was fifth overall at the OVC Championship last year, earning first-team All-OVC honors.
2011 OVC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the OVC head cross country coaches)
TEAM POINTS
1. Eastern Kentucky (8 first-place votes) 80
2. Eastern Illinois (2) 74
3. Southeast Missouri 57
4. Murray State 56
5. Jacksonville State 52
6. Austin Peay 41
7. Tennessee Tech 37
8. UT Martin 24
9. Morehead State 20
10. Tennessee State 9
(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)
Top 10 Women's Cross Country Returnees
(Based on Finish at 2010 OVC Championship)
Runner Yr. 2010 Finish (Time)
Jackline Barkechir, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 2nd (18:40.72)
Picoty Leitich, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 3rd (18:46.74)
Olivia Klaus, Eastern Illinois Jr. 4th (18:48.11)
Ericka Stam, Jacksonville State Jr. 5th (18:49.12)
Gabriela Duenas, Eastern Illinois Jr. 7th (19:01.41)
Danielle Mason, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 8th (19:02.79)
Brittany Arthur, Eastern Illinois Sr. 9th (19:06.16)
Megan Gingerich, Eastern Illinois Sr. 11th (19:09.78)
Hannah Miller, Eastern Kentucky So. 12th (19:10.40)
Erika Ramos, Eastern Illinois Jr. 14th (19:14.61)