OTAHKIAN RUNNERS HAVE SIGHTS ON EKU

Southeast Missouri State University's pursuit of Eastern Kentucky in Ohio Valley Conference women's cross country will continue this season, with coach Joey Haines hopeful that the Otahkians can finally get over the hump.

Eastern Kentucky has won the past 18 OVC women's cross country titles. The Otahkians finished second the last three years and have had seven runner-up finishes since joining the league in 1991, but they have never been able to end the Lady Colonels' dynasty.

"They put a lot of (track/cross country) scholarship money into distances, over half of it, where we have a more well-rounded team, but that's part of it, because that gives us an advantage in track," said Haines. "But I really thought we should have beat them last year. I thought we had the best team, we just did not have a very good race (at the OVC meet), and they came through with their best race of the year.

"When you're trying to catch somebody, the hardest thing to do is beat them the first time. You're usually good enough before you ever do it."

Whether the Otahkians, who open the season Friday at the Memphis Invitational, will be good enough to beat Eastern Kentucky this year remains to be seen, but Haines believes his youthful squad will once again be right in the hunt.

"Eastern graduated two or three of their top girls and I just don't know what they recruited," he said. "We lost our second through fourth runners from last season and we're really, really young, but we're talented. Our sophomores and freshmen must step up, but if they do what they're capable, then I feel like we have a chance. I definitely think we can challenge Eastern."

The Otahkians, who have no seniors, will be led by junior Amy Arteme, a Kelly High School product who was the 1999 OVC champion and was named the league's Female Athlete of the Year for cross country. Also a standout academically, Arteme was a1999 OVC Medal of Honor winner and she earned second-team academic all-district honors.

"Amy gives us a great leader to build around. She's a really hard worker, very dedicated," Haines said. "I think she's going to have a real good year. She's better than she was last year."

Another key returning junior is Jessie Thompson, of whom Haines said, "She really came on in track and she's the most improved returner from last year."

Two other key returning runners will be sophomores Anna Verseman and Christy Williams.

"They need to step up for us but they have the talent to do it," said Haines.

Sophomore Jennifer Brown, a Jackson High School graduate, is another returning letterwinner and Haines said she made considerable improvement during the track season.

Haines will be looking for contributions from two freshmen: Kaci Pilcher, the top distance recruit for 2000-01, and Jennifer Burke. Both earned all-state honors in high school last year, Pilcher in Illinois and Burke in Missouri.

"We need one of the two freshmen to step up and help us," said Haines.

Another returning squad member is sophomore Katie Gilbert, who has been slowed by stress fractures during her first two seasons at Southeast and was redshirted one year.

"With our youth, we'll probably come on a little slower than we have in the past, but at the end we should okay," Haines said.

* Haines said that Southeast's men's squad, which won't open the season until Sept. 16, is still in the process of finalizing its roster. More information will come out at a later time.