Women's Cross Country 2nd At OVC Championships

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois had five women’s runners earn All-Ohio Valley Conference honors as the Panthers finished a close second behind Eastern Kentucky at the 2010 OVC Cross Country Championships held Saturday morning in Cookeville, Tenn. 

EIU turned its best performance in the OVC Meet since winning the title in 2001. The 45 points was the lowest point total scored by an EIU women’s team in championship history as EKU won the meet with 25 points. Murray State was a distance third with 111 points. 

The Colonels and Panthers had ten of the top twelve finishers in the meet as Katherine Pagano of Eastern Kentucky placed first at 18:23 on the 5K course. Pagano was followed by teammates Jackline Barkechir and Picoty Leitich. 

Olivia Klaus was 4th with a time of 18:48.11 as the top Eastern Illinois finisher, earning first team All-OVC honors. Gabriela Duenas also earned first team All-OVC honors as she placed 7th with a mark of 19:01.41. 

Brittany Arthur was six seconds behind Duenas finishing in 9th place at 19:06.16. Megan Gingerich was 11th at 19:09.78 while Erika Ramos was 14th at 19:14.61. Arthur, Gingerich and Ramos all earned second team All-OVC honors. 

Caitlin Napoleoni was 15th at 19:19.52 while Elizabeth Dole was 16th at 19:30.11. Stephanie Peisker rounded out the EIU runners placing 35th at 20:23.10. 

EIU will return to action on Nov. 13 when they compete in the NCAA Regional in Peoria.