EIU Men 2nd, Women 3rd At OVC Championships
Saturday, October 27 2012 - OVC Championships (XC)
OXFORD, Ala. – Eastern Illinois cross country competed at the 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Championships on Saturday morning with the EIU men placing second and the women turning in a third place finish.
On the men's side Pablo Ramirez and Bryce Basting both earned first team All-OVC honors as they finished fifth and sixth at the meet. Ramirez ran a time of 24:37.43 while Basting covered the 8K course in 24:45.36. Danny Delany was a second team All-OVC honoree with a 14th place finish at 25:12.17.
“We had three all-conference runners on the men's side, the first time this has happened for this program since 2005. Two of the runners earned first team,” said EIU head coach Erin Howarth. “Pablo ran a time which puts him in the top 20 at EIU and three runners posted a lifetime best. Pablo's top five finish was the first by a men's runner since 2006.”
Seniors Olivia Klaus and Britney Whitehead gave the Panthers a second and third place individual finish at the meet with both earning first team All-OVC honors. It was the fourth straight year Klaus has earned that distinction. She covered the 5K course in 17:30.61 with Whitehead trailing at 17:31.08. The times by the two seniors rank second and third on the EIU career charts.
Stephanie Peisker earned second team All-OVC honors placing 13th with a time of 18:00.61.
“Olivia ran the second fastest time ever and Britney the third for us today,” added Howarth. “Seven of our eight runners posted lifetime bests with our team posting an average time of 17:58, the best in school history.”
The remaining EIU men's runners in the event were Victor Delatorre in 23rd at 25:34.05, Mike Hesslau in 24th at 25:35.35, Matt Black in 27th at 25:49.70, Max Gassmann in 55th at 27:04.12 and Doug Mateas in 58th at 27:19.57.
The remaining EIU women's runners in the event were Erika Ramos in 20th at 18:16.97,Kelsey Hardimon in 26th at 18:31.30, Paige Biehler in 38th at 18:47.18, Victoria Quarton in 39th at 18:48.62 and Elizabeth Dole in 55th at 19:14.44.
Eastern Kentucky won the men's title with 17 points while EIU was second scoring 70 points. Southeast Missouri was third with 76 points.
EKU also took home the women's title with 44 points. Belmont edged EIU for second place scoring 61 points compared to 64 for the Panthers. Murray State was fourth at 94.
“The conference is the best it has ever been with four men's teams regionally ranked at one point through the season and two on the women's side,” said Howarth. “Overall I am very excited for how the teams did and how they competed. I'm excited for the regional meet in two weeks.”
On the men's side Pablo Ramirez and Bryce Basting both earned first team All-OVC honors as they finished fifth and sixth at the meet. Ramirez ran a time of 24:37.43 while Basting covered the 8K course in 24:45.36. Danny Delany was a second team All-OVC honoree with a 14th place finish at 25:12.17.
“We had three all-conference runners on the men's side, the first time this has happened for this program since 2005. Two of the runners earned first team,” said EIU head coach Erin Howarth. “Pablo ran a time which puts him in the top 20 at EIU and three runners posted a lifetime best. Pablo's top five finish was the first by a men's runner since 2006.”
Seniors Olivia Klaus and Britney Whitehead gave the Panthers a second and third place individual finish at the meet with both earning first team All-OVC honors. It was the fourth straight year Klaus has earned that distinction. She covered the 5K course in 17:30.61 with Whitehead trailing at 17:31.08. The times by the two seniors rank second and third on the EIU career charts.
Stephanie Peisker earned second team All-OVC honors placing 13th with a time of 18:00.61.
“Olivia ran the second fastest time ever and Britney the third for us today,” added Howarth. “Seven of our eight runners posted lifetime bests with our team posting an average time of 17:58, the best in school history.”
The remaining EIU men's runners in the event were Victor Delatorre in 23rd at 25:34.05, Mike Hesslau in 24th at 25:35.35, Matt Black in 27th at 25:49.70, Max Gassmann in 55th at 27:04.12 and Doug Mateas in 58th at 27:19.57.
The remaining EIU women's runners in the event were Erika Ramos in 20th at 18:16.97,Kelsey Hardimon in 26th at 18:31.30, Paige Biehler in 38th at 18:47.18, Victoria Quarton in 39th at 18:48.62 and Elizabeth Dole in 55th at 19:14.44.
Eastern Kentucky won the men's title with 17 points while EIU was second scoring 70 points. Southeast Missouri was third with 76 points.
EKU also took home the women's title with 44 points. Belmont edged EIU for second place scoring 61 points compared to 64 for the Panthers. Murray State was fourth at 94.
“The conference is the best it has ever been with four men's teams regionally ranked at one point through the season and two on the women's side,” said Howarth. “Overall I am very excited for how the teams did and how they competed. I'm excited for the regional meet in two weeks.”