OVC honors Colbert, Egbuka with field awards

Southeast Missouri State received two Ohio Valley Conference indoor track and field postseason awards announced Thursday.

One went to a local product and the other to a familiar honoree.

Senior thrower Brianna Egbuka, a Central High School graduate, was named female field athlete of the year.

Fellow senior thrower Brandon Colbert was named male field athlete of the year for the second time, the other in 2008. He won similar awards for the outdoor season in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

Voting was done by the league's coaches and announced in advance of the OVC indoor championships that will be held today and Saturday in Charleston, Ill.

"I couldn't be happier for both of them. It's a fitting way to end their indoor careers," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said. "They both have been outstanding since they got here and they've worked really hard.

"It's great for our program to have two athletes selected. We've usually done pretty well with these awards."

Egbuka holds the OVC's top performances in the weight throw (55 feet, 3 1/2 inches) and shot put (45-10 3/4) this year.

Crumpecker said Egbuka continues to improve. She won her first OVC title last outdoor season, capturing the hammer throw, after previously recording four top-five finishes during OVC competition.

"She has just gotten a little better every year and she's worked her butt off," Crumpecker said.

Colbert has the OVC's top distances this year in the shot put (57-4 3/4) and weight throw (62-3 3/4).

Colbert, from Troy, Mo., has had a record-setting career at Southeast and has won multiple OVC titles.

"There's probably not many people who have won it as many times as he has," Crumpecker said about Colbert's five OVC field athlete of the year awards. "He's had an unbelievable career."

Egbuka and Colbert are favored to bring home championships during the OVC indoor meet, which would help the Redhawks continue their run of strong team finishes.

Southeast's men have placed second behind host Eastern Illinois the past two seasons. Southeast's women were third last year, with Eastern Illinois first.

"We have a lot of guys hurt, but we should still do well," Crumpecker said. "Our women should be in the hunt for it [the title]. We probably have our best chance since we won it in 2006."