The Murray State women’s cross country team was chosen to finish third in the 2010 Ohio Valley Conference, earning 63 points in voting conducted by the conference’s head coaches.
Eastern Kentucky took top honors with 81 points and nine first place votes. Eastern Illinois picked up the lone remaining first-place vote and followed in second with 70 points, and after MSU, Southeast Missouri and Jacksonville State finished in fourth and fifth with 59 and 47 points, respectively. Morehead State, Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay, UT Martin and Tennessee State rounded out the bottom half of voting.
Senior Katelyn Jones leads a group of seven upperclassmen this season after finishing fifth at the 2009 OVC Championships. She earned 2009 All-OVC First Team honors with a time of 20:11. MSU also returns junior Kayla Crusham who took 2009 ALL-OVC Second Team honors, finishing in 20:38 good for 14th place.
“I am very excited about both teams this season,” head coach Jenny Severns said. “The women have 4 of our top 5 returning from last year. I am really excited about what we can accomplish, but we can’t let voting in conference polls limit our goals for this year.
“On the men’s team we have 2 returners and a few guys that can make a big difference this year. I expect big things from them in the future.”
The men have been predicted to finish in ninth place with 21 points.
Eastern Kentucky again received 81 points and nine first-place votes. Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois finished tied for second with 68 points, with Southeast Missouri picking up the other first-place vote. Jacksonville State was slotted in fourth with 55 points and Morehead State followed in fifth with 50.
Junior Andy Pack and sophomore Derek Perry represent the lone returners from last season’s team for the men, who add a sophomore and two freshmen to this year’s squad.
Both teams open up the 2010 season on Sept. 3 at the SIU Early Bird in Carbondale, Ill.
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.)
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