Oct. 29, 2005

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Saturday October 29,2005)  The Redhawks Cross Country team finished the Ohio Valley Conference Championship earlier today.  The men's team placed sixth out of eleven teams and the women finished fourth out of eleven teams.  Eastern Illinois men took their fifth championship in six years and the Samford Women repeated as league champions.

 

Jacob Korir from Eastern Kentucky and Lauren Blankenship of Samford were named men's and women's OVC `Runner of the Year', respectively, as each repeated as individual champions.  The OVC's `Freshman of the year' awards went to Samford's Cameron Bean and Eastern Illinois' Jessica Blondell.  Eastern Illinois' Geoff Masanet was named the men's OVC `Coach of the Year' while Samford's Glenn McWaters repeated as the women's OVC `Coach of the Year'.

 

The Redhawks men were led by senior Gabe Lutes who placed 13^th and had a time of 25:49.64 in the 8000 meter race.  Chris Herren just missed a top 20 finished at 23 with a time of 26:34.05.  Next was Brad DeMattei who finished 26^th and had a time of 26:38.04.  Danny Stults finished at 33 with a time of 26:42.78.  Then came Cory Huskey who finished 38^th with a time of 27:07.07.  Mark McNamara finished at 46 with a time of 27:29.95 and Kirk Nesbit rounded out the men's finish at 47 and a time of 27:47.78.  The men's team finished sixth with 131 total points.

 

The Southeast women had two top 10 finishes beginning with Lindsay Zeiler.  Zeiler finished 5^th with a time 18:22.32.  Caywood followed at number 7 and a time of 18:33.62.  Next was Brittni Peck who fininished 23^rd with a time of 19:26.21.  Amy Warren finished 28^th and had a time of 19:26.21.  Juli Koenegstein finished 34 and had a time of 19:39.67.  Hannah Korte was 36^th and had a time of 19:43.70 and Sarah Verelst finished at 47 with a time of 20:17.87.  The women's team placed fourth with 97 points.

 

The top seven runners were awarded First Team All-OVC while the next seven received Second Team All-OVC honors.  Gabe Lutes made Second Team All-OVC.  Both Jen Caywood and Lindsay Zeiler made the First Team All-OVC.