BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – In a preseason vote of head cross country coaches in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Eastern Kentucky University men's and women's teams were picked as the favorites for the 2010 season.
Last season the EKU men's team claimed its 18th OVC championship and fourth in a row while the Colonel women's program took home its 24th overall title and fourth in a row at the event held at Edwin Warner Park in Nashville.
On the men's side Eastern Kentucky (81 points, 9 first-place votes) was followed by a tie between Southeast Missouri State and Eastern Illinois (68) with Southeast receiving the other first place vote. The polling was rounded out by Jacksonville State (55), Morehead State (50), Tennessee Tech (34), UT Martin (33), Austin Peay (28), Murray State (21) and Tennessee State (12).
On the women's side, Eastern Kentucky (81 points, 9 first-place votes) was followed by Eastern Illinois (70, 1 first-place vote), Murray State (63), Southeast Missouri (59), Jacksonville State (47), Morehead State (39), Tennessee Tech (29), Austin Peay (28), UT Martin (24) 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 2010 Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships will be held October 30 in Cookeville, Tenn. with Tennessee Tech University serving as the host. The first regular season action of the 2010 season occurs the first weekend of September.
MEN'S PREVIEW
On the men's side there will be some new runners at the top of the list this season as the top five finishers (and six of the top seven) from the 2009 OVC Championship are not returning this year.
Defending champion Eastern Kentucky lost four of the top five finishers from last season, including Wesley Ruttoh, who won last year's championship. Even with that much talent gone the Colonels will still be strong as they return Chris Rice (ninth a season ago), Alex Dreyer (12th) and Daniel Jones (13th) among others. EKU head coach Rick Erdmann earned his 39th and 40th OVC Coach of the Year honors last season in leading both Eastern squads to the OVC Championship.
Southeast Missouri, who received the other first place vote, returns senior Jason Lumpkin, who was eighth last year, and sophomore Tyler Mullen, who was 17th a season ago (which was third among freshmen in the race).
After finishing four overall as a team last season, Jacksonville State returns George Kiplagat, who finished sixth overall at the OVC Championship a year ago.
Morehead State welcomes back senior Ron Duncan who redshirted a season ago. In 2008 Duncan was seventh at the OVC Championship with a time of 26:05.6.
Eastern Illinois, who was last team other than EKU to win a men's title (doing so in 2005), returns Matt Feldhake, who was a second-team All-OVC selection last season after placing 14th overall.
2010 OVC MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the OVC head cross country coaches)
TEAM POINTS
1. Eastern Kentucky (9 first-place votes) 81
2. Southeast Missouri (1) 68
Eastern Illinois 68
4. Jacksonville State 55
5. Morehead State 50
6. Tennessee Tech 34
7. UT Martin 33
8. Austin Peay 28
9. Murray State 21
10. Tennessee State 12
(Teams awarded 9 points for a first-place vote, 8 for second, etc.)
Top 10 Men's Cross Country Returnees
(Based on Finish at 2009 OVC Championship)
Runner Yr. 2009 Finish (Time)
George Kiplagat, Jacksonville State Sr. 6th (26:14.18)
Jason Lumpkin, Southeast Missouri Sr. 8th (26:44.40)
Chris Rice, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 9th (26:50.16)
James Bowens, Morehead State Sr. 11th (26:54.17)
Alex Dreyer, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 12th (26:55.30)
Daniel Jones, Eastern Kentucky So. 13th (27:01.01)
Matt Feldhake, Eastern Illinois Jr. 14th (27:06.13)
Sam Taylor, Tennessee Tech Sr. 16th (27:17.61)
Tyler Mullen, Southeast Missouri So. 17th (27:23.27)
Josh Wakeman, Morehead State Sr. 18th (27:25.73)
WOMEN'S PREVIEW
On the women's side four of the top five finishers from the 2009 Championship are back including last year's champion and OVC Freshman of the Year, Picoty Leitich of Eastern Kentucky. Leitich became the first freshman to win the individual title since 2002 as she out-distanced the field by over 13 seconds.
Leitich is joined by teammates Sylvia Bundotich (third at last year's championship), Katherine Pagano (4th), Ashli Joseph (11th) and Danielle Mason (13th) who were all among the top 13 finishers last season and among the top 10 returners this season.
Eastern Illinois, who was third a season ago, returns sophomore Olivia Klaus, who was an impressive eight overall at her first OVC Championship meet in 2009.
Murray State was predicted to win the championship a year ago but settled for a second place team finish for the second-straight season. The Racers return senior Katelyn Jones who was fifth a year ago.
Southeast Missouri returns senior Monica Noble, who was ninth a season ago at the OVC Championship.
2010 OVC WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
(as voted on by the OVC head cross country coaches)
TEAM POINTS
1. Eastern Kentucky (9 first-place votes) 81
2. Eastern Illinois (1) 70
3. Murray State 63
4. Southeast Missouri 59
5. Jacksonville State 47
6. Morehead State 39
7. Tennessee Tech 29
8. Austin Peay 28
9. UT Martin 24
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 2009 OVC Championship)
Runner Yr. 2009 Finish (Time)
Picoty Leitich, Eastern Kentucky So. 1st (19:29.05)
Sylvia Bundotich, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 3rd (19:57.30)
Katherine Pagano, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 4th (20:02.97)
Katelyn Jones, Murray State Sr. 5th (20:11.46)
Olivia Klaus, Eastern Illinois So. 8th (20:26.88)
Monica Noble, Southeast Missouri Sr. 9th (20:28.72)
Ashley Stovall, Jacksonville State So. 10th (20:29.25)
Ashli Joseph, Eastern Kentucky Sr. 11th (20:30.60)
Danielle Mason, Eastern Kentucky Jr. 13th (20:35.77)
Kayla Crusham, Murray State Jr. 14th (20:38.57)
