Southeast Missouri State's Farley named OVC male field co-athlete of year

~ Southeast thrower wins award for big outdoor season as a sophomore

Kevin Farley's collegiate track and field career isn't even halfway over, but he's already racked up two major Ohio Valley Conference awards.

Farley, Southeast Missouri State's sophomore thrower, was named the OVC male field co-athlete of the year on Thursday. Voting was done by the league's coaches and announced in advance of the OVC outdoor championships that will be held today and Saturday in Charleston, Ill.

Thursday's accolade comes after Farley was voted OVC male freshman of the year during the 2012 outdoor season.

"It's a great honor for him, and he's very deserving of it," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said. "He's got a little string [of awards] going here now."

Farley has the OVC's top distances in both the shot put ( 57 feet, 8 1/2 inches) and discus (170-11) while ranking second in the hammer throw (185-0).

The Springfield, Ill., native has won five event titles and posted 14 top-three finishes during the outdoor season. He ranks 24th in the NCAA West Region in the shot put.

"He's had a great outdoor season. He's been real consistent in all three events," Crumpecker said.

Farley has so far captured one OVC title, the shot put at this year's conference indoor meet. He also placed second in the weight throw.

Last year Farley finished second in the discus, third in the shot put and fourth in the hammer throw at the OVC outdoor, followed a second-place performance in the shot put at the OVC indoor.

Farley was a two-time state shot put champion at Lanphier High School in Springfield, Ill.

"He was one of the better shot putters in this part of the country in high school," Crumpecker said. "We knew he'd be a good one. He's a hard worker and he's done great job for us."

EIU streaking

Host Eastern Illinois enters the OVC meet having won the past four conference outdoor titles in both the men's and women's divisions.

The Panthers also held that distinction entering this year's OVC indoor meet but Southeast's women ended that reign by capturing their first conference indoor crown since 2006. The Redhawks edged Tennessee State by six points, with EIU 13 points behind and Murray State just 13 1/2 points back.

Southeast's men were second indoors as the Panthers captured their fifth straight title.

Each Southeast squad finished second behind EIU at last year's OVC outdoor meet. Crumpecker believes the Redhawks should challenge the Panthers in both divisions, which features 11 teams on the women's side and seven squads on the men's side.

"With the women, it's going to be a whole lot like the indoor, three or four teams battling for the top spot. It should be really close. Whoever shows up and competes the best will win," Crumpecker said. "With the men, it's the same old story -- us and EIU. They're definitely the team to beat, but we're right there."

Southeast's women top the OVC performance list in three events.

Jerika Lewis leads the 200 meters with her school-record time of 23.91 seconds, Courtney Gapelu's school-record shot put of 51 feet, 3 inches leads the conference and Rebekah Lawson tops the 10,000 (36:18.06).

Southeast's men have the OVC's top performances in six events.

In addition to Farley ranking first in the shot put and discus, the 400 relay team of Jackson High School graduate Blake Smith, Kendrick Farr, Alexander Anderson and Blake Carter leads the way with a time of 40.97.

Also pacing their respective events are OVC indoor male field athlete of the year Reggie Miller in the high jump (6-11) and triple jump (50-2 1/2); and Craig Robinson in the hammer throw (188-10).

"We've got a lot of people who should do really well," Crumpecker said.

Southeast teams have combined for 13 OVC outdoor titles -- eight by the women and five by the men -- most recently in 2008 when the men prevailed.