LEADER OF THE PACK: QUIGLEY SAVES BEST FOR SENIOR YEAR

Janelle Quigley says her college running career seemed like it had been going so fast and she didn't want to give her senior season anything but her best shot.

So far, cross country foes are feeling the sting.

The only senior on an extremely strong Southeast Missouri State University women's squad, Quigley is putting together a sensational season. She's been the Otahkians' top runner in every meet so far and has two first-place finishes and a second place to her credit.

"I'm really happy with what I've been doing so far, but it's nothing I've really thought about," said Quigley. "I'm just running."

Well, that really isn't true. Quigley did think a lot about how she wanted to finish out her Southeast athletic career, during the cross country season in the fall and the track season in the spring.

What Quigley decided is that she wanted to go out with a bang. She'd previously done well for the Otahkians in cross country, but nothing spectacular. She wanted to change that.

"Time goes so fast and it feels like my time here has really gone fast," said Quigley with a laugh. "I really wanted to have my best season ever. I don't want to look back and think about what I could have done.

"I trained really hard this summer to get in really good shape. And a big difference is I guess I'm really focused. I go to school and run and try to keep my priorities straight."

One of Quigley's goals this season was to break 17 minutes over the 3.1-mile courses. She wasn't sure if she'd do it -- but it's happened the past two weeks, including an impressive 16:57 last weekend that netted her first place in the 25-team All Missouri/Border State Championship.

"It was my best time ever and I was really excited," she said. "I never thought I'd break 17, and to do it twice in a row, I was really happy."

For her winning effort, Quigley was honored as the OVC Female Runner of the Week for the second time this season.

Southeast coach Joey Haines couldn't be happier for Quigley, because he lauds her as being the model of the ideal student-athlete.

"She's just a super young lady," said Haines. "She does very well in school. She's a 4.0 student who won an OVC Medal of Honor last year. She's a very busy person and a very social person. She's the kind of person who never took time for herself."

Haines said he finally told Quigley that she should make some time for herself.

"She was always a very talented runner, but I think she just got really focused this year and she's made huge strides," Haines said. "She had a great spring, finishing runnerup in the OVC mile, and she was knocking on the door to qualify for the NCAAs. And that's just carried over into the fall. She's running 20, 30 seconds faster than last year."

The extremely personable Quigley, who laughs and grins frequently, is a native of Canada. She says people ask her all the time how she wound up at Southeast and she doesn't really know what to tell them, except for the fact she loved it during her visit.

"I don't really know why I came here, but I just really liked it," she said. "I've never regretted it at all. Good school, good coach, good team."

Quigley, a fitness and sports medicine major with a recreation minor, is hoping to continue her personal success and the team's success the rest of the cross country season, then finish off her Southeast athletic career with a big track season in the spring.

"I've never really enjoyed cross country. It was always just to get in shape for track. But now I'm having so much fun," she said. "And the team is wonderful. We're doing so well."

The Otahkians have finished no lower than fourth in any meet this season and that includes some major invitationals against big-time programs. Southeast has won two meets and tied for first in another.

While Quigley has led the way, some other runners have also stood out.

Sophomore Tammy Wenkel, a track standout, has been the Otahkians' No. 2 runner in each meet. Junior Leslie McNamara, who led Southeast with a fourth-place finish in last year's Ohio Valley Conference Meet, is the No. 3 runner, while two local products -- freshman Amy Arteme from Kelly and sophomore Celeste Ramsey from Perryville -- have been next in line.

Three more freshmen, Hannah Stuckenschneider, Jessie Thompson and Kate Gilbert, have also contributed.

Southeast's women and men will have their only home meet of the season Saturday when the five-team SEMO Invitational is held at Capaha Park. A mile race for elementary students will be held at 10 a.m., followed by the collegiate races at 10:30 (women) and 11 (men). Then at 11:30, an open 5K race for the community will take place.

After Saturday's meet, the Otahkians will set their sights on winning the OVC title Oct. 31 in Cookeville, Tenn.

Eastern Kentucky has won the past 17 OVC championships and the Lady Colonels will be favored again. But Quigley says don't count Southeast out.

"I don't want to say we'll win it, but we'll definitely have a chance," she said, then added with a laugh, "Eastern Kentucky better watch out."