Cross Country Picked 2nd & 4th In OVC Poll

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – In a preseason vote of head cross country coaches in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Eastern Kentucky University men’s squad and the Murray State University women’s team were picked as the favorites for the 2009 season.

Last season the EKU men’s team claimed its 17th OVC championship and third in a row while the Murray State women’s team finished second, just five points behind the champion Colonel women’s squad.

On the men’s side, Eastern Kentucky (80 points, 8 first-place votes) was followed by Eastern Illinois (74 points, 1 first-place vote), Southeast Missouri State (69 points, 1 first-place vote), Morehead State (61), Jacksonville State (49), Austin Peay (37), Murray State (30), Tennessee Tech (30), UT Martin (18) and Tennessee State (10) in the polling.

On the women’s side, Murray State (79 points, 7 first-place votes) was followed by Eastern Kentucky (74 points, 2 first-place votes), Southeast Missouri State (66 points, 1 first-place vote), Eastern Illinois (57), Tennessee Tech (41), Austin Peay (40), Jacksonville State (32), Morehead State (32), UT Martin (20) and Tennessee State (10).

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 Championship this season.

The 2009 Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships will be held October 31 at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tenn. Tennessee State University will serve as the host. The first regular season action of the 2009 season occurs the first weekend of September.

MEN’S PREVIEW

Eastern Kentucky was once again the favorite to claim the men’s championship, although three different teams received first-place votes. A year ago the Colonels won their Conference-best 17th Championship, as head coach Rick Erdmann picked up Coach of the Year honors for the 38th time (combined men and women) in his career. Eastern did graduate 2008 OVC Champion Joseph Maina but do return Stanley Mugo, Evans Kiptoo, Chris Rengifo and Elkana Kurgat who finished second, third, fifth and sixth respectively at last year’s Championship.

Eastern Illinois, who was fourth at last year’s Championship, has claimed seven OVC titles since 1996 and is the only other team besides EKU to claim a title in the last 13 years. The Panthers return Derek Ericson who was eighth at last year’s Championship and Mario Castrejon who was 19th.

Last year’s Championship host, Southeast Missouri State, was the third school to garner a first-place vote this season. The Redhawks return junior steepleweb Shipley, who placed 12th last year with a time of 26:22.6.

Morehead State, picked fourth overall, returns senior Ron Duncan, who earned first-team All-OVC honors a season ago with a seventh place finish at the OVC Championship. The Eagles also have senior Matt Dotson back; Dotson was 14th at last year’s event.

Jacksonville State returns George Kiplagat who was ninth at last year’s Championship. The Gamecocks, who were fifth a year ago, were picked fifth once again this season.

Austin Peay was tabbed sixth followed by Murray State and Tennessee Tech who tied for seventh. UT Martin was tabbed ninth and Tennessee State was picked 10th.

2009 OVC MEN’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 (1) 74
3. Southeast Missouri State (1) 69
4. Morehead State 61
5. Jacksonville State 49
6. Austin Peay 37
7. Murray State 30
Tennessee Tech 30
9. UT Martin 18
10. Tennessee State 10

(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)

Top 10 Men’s Cross Country Returnees
(Based on Finish at 2008 OVC Championship)

Runner Yr. 2008 Finish (Time)
Stanley Mugo, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 2nd (25:24.4)
Evans Kiptoo, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 3rd (25:30.0)
Chris Rengifo, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 5th (26:02.0)
Elkana Kurgat, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 6th (26:04.0)
Ron Duncan, Morehead State Sr. 7th (26:05.6)
Derek Ericson, Eastern Illinois Jr. 8th (26:09.9)
George Kiplagat, Jacksonville State Jr. 9th (26:13.3)
David Willis, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 11th (26:22.3)
steepleweb Shipley, Southeast Missouri So. 12th (26:22.6)
Matt Dotson, Morehead State Sr. 14th (26:30.6)


WOMEN’S PREVIEW

After narrowly missing out on the OVC Championship last season, Murray State received seven of the 10 first-place votes this preseason. The Racers have improved its OVC finish in each of the last four seasons after placing 10th in 2004. Since then the team has jumped to seventh, to sixth, to fourth and finally second a year ago. The team is looking for its first OVC Championship since winning back-to-back titles in 1980 and 1981. The team returns junior Katelyn Jones, last year’s third-place finisher, as well as senior Taylor Crawford (who was seventh a year ago) and sophomore Karissa Magnuson, the OVC Freshman of the Year in 2008 after placing eighth at the Championship.

If Murray State wants to claim the OVC crown, they will have to dethrone Eastern Kentucky, the winner of 23 titles overall, including the last three. The Colonels received two first-place votes in the balloting. Four of the top 10 returners from last year’s Championship are on the EKU roster, including junior Kathrine Pagano, who was fifth a season ago.

Southeast Missouri State, picked third, also received a first-place vote. The Redhawks lost last year’s runner-up, Juli Koenegstein, to graduation, but return junior Monica Noble who was ninth a season ago at the Championship. Two others runners – Linnea Woldtvedt (14th) and Liz Speicher (15th) are both among the Top 10 returners in the league this season.

Eastern Illinois, fourth a season ago and champions in 2001, were picked fourth this season. The Panthers are led by senior Erin O’Grady who was 18th a year at the OVC Championship.

Tennessee Tech, picked fifth, will have to replace last year’s champion Stephanie Place and Keri Light, who finished 13th. The Golden Eagles will look towards senior Tiffany Palmer, who was 24th at last year’s Championship, to lead the team.

Austin Peay is picked sixth after finishing seventh at the Championship a season ago. The Lady Govs will be led by sophomore Janelle Avery who was 29th at last year’s meet.

Jacksonville State and Morehead State were each predicted to finish seventh. The Gamecocks will be looking to replace its top two finishers from a season ago. Morehead State, third a year ago, returns senior Alexis King who was 21st at the meet.

UT Martin was picked to finish ninth while Tennessee State was tabbed 10th.

2009 OVC WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the OVC head cross country coaches)

TEAM POINTS
1. Murray State (7 first-place votes) 79
2. Eastern Kentucky (2) 74
3. Southeast Missouri State (1) 66
4. Eastern Illinois 57
5. Tennessee Tech 41
6. Austin Peay 40
7. Jacksonville State 32
Morehead State 32
9. UT Martin 20
10. Tennessee State 10

(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)


Top 10 Women’s Cross Country Returnees
(Based on Finish at 2008 OVC Championship)

Runner Yr. 2008 Finish (Time)
Katelyn Jones, Murray State Jr. 3rd (18:47.7)
Kathrine Pagano, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 5th (18:56.9)
Taylor Crawford, Murray State Sr. 7th (19:00.2)
Karissa Magnuson, Murray State So. 8th (19:09.4)
Monica Noble, Southeast Missouri Jr. 9th (19:15.2)
Linnea Woldtvedt, Southeast Missouri Sr. 14th (19:31.3)
Liz Speicher, Southeast Missouri So. 15th (19:41.0)
Danielle Mason, Eastern Kentucky So. 16th (19:43.2)
Ashli Joseph, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 17th (19:48.8)
Erin O’Grady, Eastern Illinois Sr. 18th (19:50.2)