SE CROSS COUNTRY SQUADS TO COMPETE IN OVC MEET

Southeast Missouri State University's women's cross country team will attempt to upset Eastern Kentucky in the Ohio Valley Conference cross country championships Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.

The women's 5,000-meter race will begin at 10 a.m., with the men's 8,000-meter championship scheduled for 10:45 a.m.

Southeast coach Joey Haines believes his women's team will have a chance to bring home the title, although Eastern Kentucky should rank as the pre-meet favorite.

"Eastern Kentucky should be favored to win the championship, but if we have a good day, our women can be right in the running and have a chance to win," said Haines. "We need to have three of our runners in the top seven or eight and have all five of our runners in the top 16 to have a chance to win.

"Our runners have to run a smart race. We can't get caught up in who wins the individual title, we just have to be steady and do as well as we can."

Janelle Quigley, Tammy Wenkel and Leslie McNamara will challenge for a spot in the top seven, with Sherry Dietiker also capable of making a run to the front of the pack. Freshman Michelle Ramsey should be in the top 16, with freshman Jessica Sefzik also running.

"Quigley and Wenkel both have the ability to be near the front and McNamara has just been running super this season," Haines said. "Dietiker always runs well in the OVC championships and she has been coming on strong. Ramsey has made good progress as a freshman.

"We've pointed at the OVC championships all season and now we have a chance to go to the line and see where we stack up."

Southeast's men are young and have been hampered by injuries, but Haines expects them to run well and finish in the top half of the OVC.

The Indians will be paced by seniors Erin Rhoades and Ron Wagner, with sophomores Brock Alspaugh and Tye DeCramer running along with junior Aaron Wade and freshman Travis Schiwitz.

"Rhoades is capable of finishing in the top 10 with a good race," said Haines. "We should definitely challenge for a spot in the top half of the OVC. Murray State should win the team title for the men."