CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. ? Austin Peay State University men and women's cross country teams will travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo., for the Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championships, Saturday. Held at the Jaycee Golf Course, the women's event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., followed by the men's race at 9:45. a.m.
“This is the event we look forward to all year,” said head coach Doug Molnar. “The women's team is primed and ready to go and we have five seniors on the men's side who are competing for their last chance at an OVC title, so emotions are running high.”
One of Austin Peay's own is favored in the women's race, as senior Bertha Castillo is one of only two runners to have turned in a time below 18 minutes in a five-kilometer race this season (Tennessee Tech's Stephanie Place is the other). Two-time defending champion Eastern Kentucky is looking to make it three in a row as a team, while Austin Peay super-freshman Janelle Avery and senior Melissa Nobbs will help APSU challenge the Colonels for the championships.
“The women's team has been outstanding all season long,” said Molnar. “They've done everything a coach could ask. Eastern Kentucky and Murray State are the favorites, but we'll get out there on Saturday and see what happens.”
On the men's side, seniors Tim Hall and Ryne Sexton will lead an injury-plagued team against four squads that are in the top-15 in the country in their respective regions ? Eastern Kentucky (4th) and Morehead State (14th) in the Southeast Region and Southeast Missouri (11th) and Eastern Illinois (15th) in the Midwest Region. Two-time defending champion Eastern Kentucky again will be favored, even after losing four-time OVC Runner of the Year Jacob Korir to graduation.
“The men have been battling injuries all season long and that theme has continued,” said Molnar. “Ryne Sexton's got a sore hamstring, while (freshman) Enock Langat has a torn calf muscle, (freshmen) Andre Braima and Evan Collins have knee injuries ? Braima will definitely be out ? and (sophomore) Jordan Payne is still out with a cardio ailment. Still, this is the last go around for five seniors ? Hall, Sexton, Jon Newlin, Matt Rowe and Lukas Siska. I want to see them go out and run the best races of their careers.”
- AP -
