Cross Country Set For OVC Championships
Thursday, October 29 2015 - OVC ChampionshipsOVC meet will take place at Murray State this Saturday; women at 9 am, men at 10 am
CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois cross country returns to action this weekend as the Panthers compete in the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference Championships on Saturday morning. The championship will be hosted by Murray State and held at the Miller Memorial Golf Course in Murray, Ky. The women's 5K race is set for a 9 a.m. start while the men's 8K race will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern Kentucky is the defending champion for both men and women's cross country.
The EIU women will be led by sophomore Maria Baldwin who was the OVC Freshman of the Year last season. Baldwin is the only EIU runner with a top ten 5K time in the OVC this season posting a 17:44.5 at the Notre Dame Invitational. EIU's other top runners this fall have been Ivy Handley, Emily Brelsfoard, Amy Yeoman, Jocelyne Mendoza, Rachel Garippo and Ruth Garippo. Baldwin, Brelsfoard and Victoria Quarton all earned second team All-OVC honors last season as EIU placed second in the meet. The Panthers have won two OVC Championships in 2001 and 2011.
The Panther men will be led by junior Riley McInerney who is the lone EIU runner to post a top ten 8K time in the OVC this season. His season best was 24:28.4 at the Bradley Pink Classic, that time ranks fourth best in the OVC this season. EIU's other top runners this fall have been Paxson Menard, Joe Calio, Tyler Yunk, Juan Barajas,Greg Rogers and Michael Brown. McInerney was a second team All-OVC finisher in 2013 and placed 15th in the conference meet last season. EIU placed fifth at last year's OVC meet, the lowest finish for the Panthers since the 2007 season. EIU has won seven OVC championships, the last coming in 2005.
Following the OVC Championships, EIU will then compete at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 13 in Lawrence, Kan.
The EIU women will be led by sophomore Maria Baldwin who was the OVC Freshman of the Year last season. Baldwin is the only EIU runner with a top ten 5K time in the OVC this season posting a 17:44.5 at the Notre Dame Invitational. EIU's other top runners this fall have been Ivy Handley, Emily Brelsfoard, Amy Yeoman, Jocelyne Mendoza, Rachel Garippo and Ruth Garippo. Baldwin, Brelsfoard and Victoria Quarton all earned second team All-OVC honors last season as EIU placed second in the meet. The Panthers have won two OVC Championships in 2001 and 2011.
The Panther men will be led by junior Riley McInerney who is the lone EIU runner to post a top ten 8K time in the OVC this season. His season best was 24:28.4 at the Bradley Pink Classic, that time ranks fourth best in the OVC this season. EIU's other top runners this fall have been Paxson Menard, Joe Calio, Tyler Yunk, Juan Barajas,Greg Rogers and Michael Brown. McInerney was a second team All-OVC finisher in 2013 and placed 15th in the conference meet last season. EIU placed fifth at last year's OVC meet, the lowest finish for the Panthers since the 2007 season. EIU has won seven OVC championships, the last coming in 2005.
Following the OVC Championships, EIU will then compete at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 13 in Lawrence, Kan.