• OVC Cross Country Report - September 24 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
Notre Dame Classic (South Bend, Ind.)
Eastern Kentucky (men)
Murray State
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
Greater Louisville Classic (Louisville, Ky.)
Austin Peay
Belmont
Eastern Illinois
Eastern Kentucky
Morehead State
SIUE
Tennessee Tech
Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational (Chicago, Ill.)
Southeast Missouri
Rhodes Invitational (Memphis, Tenn.)
UT Martin
adidas® OVC Runners of the Week
MALE RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Matt Brick • Jacksonville State
Sr. • Pell City, Ala.
Brick finished third out of 93 runners at the UWF Gulf Coast Stampede in Pensacola, Fla. on Saturday. The senior posted an 8K time of 26:29.10 and helped the Gamecocks to a fourth place finish overall in the field of nine teams.
Others Nominated: Tyson Stoverin, Southeast Missouri; Adrian McDaniel, Tennessee State.
FEMALE RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Kailey Jensen • Jacksonville State
Sr. • Schererville, Ind.
Jensen claimed second place in a field of 105 runners at the University of West Florida Gulf Coast Stampede in Pensacola, Fla. on Saturday. The senior turned in a 5K time of 19:00.30 to lead the Gamecocks team for the third-straight meet. The time was eight seconds behind the individual winner. Jensen’s performance helped the Gamecocks to a second place finish out of 12 teams.
Others Nominated: Samantha Thierry, Southeast Missouri; Breanna Adams, Tennessee State.
Team Notes
Preseason Predictions: Prior to the beginning of the season, OVC cross country coaches made their predictions for the 2012 season. On the men’s side Eastern Kentucky was picked as the favorites (121 points, 11 first-place votes) and was followed by Eastern Illinois (103), Southeast Missouri (99), Belmont (93, 1 first-place vote), SIUE (73), Morehead State (72), Jacksonville State (57), UT Martin (51), Tennessee Tech (41), Austin Peay (39), Murray State (26) and Tennessee State (17). Eastern Illinois was picked as the women’s preseason favorite (116 points, 7 first-place votes) and was followed by Eastern Kentucky (110, 3 first-place votes), Belmont (96, 2 first-place votes), Southeast Missouri (89), Murray State (85), Morehead State (68), Jacksonville State (58), SIUE (57), Austin Peay (45), UT Martin (32), Tennessee Tech (25) and Tennessee State (11). This year marks the first time the OVC has had 12 schools competing in its cross country championship, as Belmont and SIUE will compete in the event for the first time.
USTFCCCA Rankings: In the latest set of U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) national rankings (Sept. 24-25), the Eastern Kentucky men are ranked 25th nationally, up one spot from last week’s poll. In the regional rankings the Eastern Kentucky men are No. 2 in the Southeast Region while the EKU women remained 10th. The Belmont men are No. 13 in the South Region while the Bruins women’s team is No. 10. The Southeast Missouri State men’s team is currently 15th in the Midwest Region. The next set of USTFCCCA polls will be released on Oct. 1.
Austin Peay: Austin Peay did not compete last week. The APSU squads are back on the course on Saturday at the Greater Louisville Classic.
Belmont: Belmont was not in action this week. The Bruins will return to the course on Saturday at the Greater Louisville Classic. BU will be one of seven OVC teams at the event.
Eastern Illinois: Eastern Illinois was idle last week. The Panthers squads next compete on Saturday at the Greater Louisville Classic.
Eastern Kentucky: Eastern Kentucky was not in action last week. The Colonels nationally-ranked men’s “A” team will compete at the Notre Dame Classic on Friday, while the men’s “B” squad and the regionally-ranked women’s team will run at the Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday.
Jacksonville State: Jacksonville State was one of just three OVC schools in action last week as the Gamecocks traveled to Pensacola, Fla. to compete in the University of West Florida Gulf Coast Stampede. The JSU men were fourth in a field of nine teams while the women’s squad took second out of 12 squads. Kailey Jensen led the women’s team and was named adidas® OVC Runner of the Week after placing second in the field of 105 competitors. Jensen covered the 5K field in 19:00.30. Overall the women’s team placed three runners in the top six overall. Senior Matt Brick was named adidas® OVC Male Runner of the Week after placing third out of 93 runners. Brick ran the 8K course in 26:29.10. Teammate Nick Hager also finished in the top five, placing fifth with a time of 26:42.60. Jacksonville State will not compete this week but returns to action in two weeks when the program hosts the JSU Foothills Invitational. The meet, held at the Oxford Lake and Recreation Center, will serve as a preview for the OVC Championship which will be held at the course on Oct. 27.
Morehead State: Morehead State did not compete last weekend but is back on the course on Saturday at the Greater Louisville Classic.
Murray State: Murray State was off from competition last week but the Racers return to action on Friday at the Notre Dame Classic. MSU is one of two OVC teams (the EKU men will also run) who will be at the meet.
Southeast Missouri: In preparation for the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational in Chicago on Saturday, Southeast Missouri ran just three individuals at the Saluki Invitational this past weekend. Those competitors included Tyson Stoverink (31st) and Sean Brown (40th) on the men’s side and Samantha Thierry (44th) on the women’s side.
SIUE: SIUE was off last week but is back to competition at the Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday.
Tennessee State: Tennessee State traveled to Daytona Beach and competed in the Bethune-Cookman Classic on the same weekend its football team was in town to play Bethune-Cookman. The women’s team finished second out of four squads while the men’s team competed in the dual scored meet, besting both host Bethune-Cookman and Ed Waters. Adrian McDaniel led the Flying Tigers with a 5K time of 19:31.40 which was second overall. The Tigerbelles were paced by Breanna Adams who was seventh overall with a 5K time of 23:37.84. TSU is one of just two OVC teams who will not be in action this week; the teams will be back on the course in two weeks at the Tennessee Tech Invitational.
Tennessee Tech: Tennessee Tech was not in action last week but the Golden Eagles will run at the Greater Louisville Classic on Saturday. Tech will be one of seven OVC teams at the meet.
UT Martin: UT Martin did not run last week but will travel to the Rhodes Invitational in Memphis on Saturday.