Cross Country Set For OVC Championships
Thursday, October 31 2013 - OVC Championships (XC)Meet set for Saturday morning in Morehead, Ky.
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois men's and women's cross country will compete in the 2013 Ohio Valley Conference Championships this Saturday morning in Morehead, Ky. The meet hosted by Morehead State will begin at 9:45 a.m. for the men's 8K followed by the women's 5K at 10:45 a.m. (Central).
The EIU men were picked second in the OVC preseason poll behind defending champion Eastern Kentucky. The Panther women were selected third in the OVC preseason poll one point behind second place Belmont with EKU the preseason favorite.
The men's team has been led this season by senior runners Mike Hesslau and Pablo Ramirez. Hesslau was named the OVC Male Runner of the Week to open the season when he won the EIU Walt Crawford Open in September. Ramirez and junior Bryce Basting both earned first team All-OVC honors last season as EIU was the championship runner-up. Basting was a second team All-OVC selection in 2011. Senior Danny Delaney has earned second team All-OVC honors in each of the last two seasons.
The women's team has been led by a youth movement this year with freshman Emily Brelsfoard and sophomore Victoria Quarton consistently the top two finishers for the EIU women. In the most recent meet for EIU the five scoring competitors consisted of one sophomore and four true freshmen. Senior Gaby Duenas-Delaney was a member of the EIU Championship team in 2011 but did not compete in 2012 as EIU placed third. She was a second team All-OVC selection in 2011 and a first team All-OVC runner in 2010.
The EIU men were picked second in the OVC preseason poll behind defending champion Eastern Kentucky. The Panther women were selected third in the OVC preseason poll one point behind second place Belmont with EKU the preseason favorite.
The men's team has been led this season by senior runners Mike Hesslau and Pablo Ramirez. Hesslau was named the OVC Male Runner of the Week to open the season when he won the EIU Walt Crawford Open in September. Ramirez and junior Bryce Basting both earned first team All-OVC honors last season as EIU was the championship runner-up. Basting was a second team All-OVC selection in 2011. Senior Danny Delaney has earned second team All-OVC honors in each of the last two seasons.
The women's team has been led by a youth movement this year with freshman Emily Brelsfoard and sophomore Victoria Quarton consistently the top two finishers for the EIU women. In the most recent meet for EIU the five scoring competitors consisted of one sophomore and four true freshmen. Senior Gaby Duenas-Delaney was a member of the EIU Championship team in 2011 but did not compete in 2012 as EIU placed third. She was a second team All-OVC selection in 2011 and a first team All-OVC runner in 2010.