Ohio Valley Conference cross country teams will see the first action of the 2022 season the weekend of September 1-3.
The regular season will build to the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships, which will be held Saturday, October 29 in Cookeville, Tennessee. The event is scheduled for the Putnam County Sports Complex. It marks the first time Tennessee Tech has served as host since 2010.
This year there are 10 teams who will compete for the OVC Championship: Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Little Rock, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri, SIUE, Southern Indiana, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin. It marks the inaugural season in the OVC for Lindenwood, Little Rock and Southern Indiana.
Last season the Eastern Illinois men and Belmont women won the OVC Championship races, which was held in Nashville.
In 2021, Eastern Illinois runner Dustin Hatfield finished 77th at the NCAA Cross Country Championship, marking the fifth year in a row an OVC athlete had finished in the Top 100 at the event. Overall at least one OVC male athlete has participated in the NCAA Championship in each of the past 13 years. Hatfield, who went on the be named the 2021-22 OVC Male Athlete of the Year, returns for his final year of eligibility in 2022.
Opening Week Schedule
Sept. 1 - Lindenwood at Prin Cross Home Opener
Sept. 1 - Little Rock at Little Rock Open
Sept. 2 - Eastern Illinois & SIUE at EIU Walt Crawford Open
Sept. 2 - Morehead State at Eastern Kentucky Dual
Sept. 2 - Southeast Missouri at Redhawks Cross Country Invitational
Sept. 2 - Southern Illinois & Tennessee Tech at Appalachian State Covered Bridge Open
Sept. 2 - Tennessee State at Belmont Opener
Sept. 3 - UT Martin at City Auto Memphis Twilight XC Classic