The Eastern Kentucky University indoor track and field teams wrapped up competition at the Ohio Valley Conference championships. The women’s team finished second with 108 points, while the men’s team ranked third with 116 points in the final standings.

Eastern Illinois’ men won their fourth straight Ohio Valley Conference indoor track and field crown, while Southeast Missouri’s women claimed its fourth title in the past eight years on Saturday.

EIU’s men had 203 points, followed by Southeast Missouri (123), EKU, Tennessee State (61), Samford (47), Murray State (45) and Morehead State (24).

Southeast Missouri’s women recorded 160 points, while EKU finished in second. Eastern Illinois took third with 97 followed by Tennessee State (92.5), Samford (48.75), Austin Peay (35), Murray State (34), Tennessee Tech (17), Jacksonville State (13) and Morehead State (9).
In women’s competition, senior Cynita Hoskins edged out Samford’s April Howell to win the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.62. Freshman Nichole Gibson and sophomore Ebony Jones finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
Gibson also finished second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.60 and placed eighth in the 200-meter dash with her time of 26:59.
Sophomore Shannon Tobias finished fifth in the 800-meter run (2:17.65), followed by senior Allison Smith who placed sixth (2:19.55). Courtney Engle finished eighth in the event with a time of 2:27.66.
Junior Wendee Embry won the 5000-meter run with a time of 17:41.57. Kellie McClung finished third with a time of 18:23.36, while sophomore Erica Nichols was eighth with a time of 18:46.94.
Embry finished third in the 300-meter run with a time of 10:20.59. McClung (10:27.43), Nichols (10:31.89) and Molly Dattilo (10:34.22) placed sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
In the mile run, Tiffaney Cartwright placed third (5:03.33), followed by Engel in fourth (5:08.56) and McClung at fifth (5:13.16). Embry came in seventh for the Colonels with a time of 5:14.89.
Senior Lacsheia Turner was third in the long jump with a distance of 18’05.75”, while sophomore Ebony Jones placed 14th at 17’08.25”. Jones was third in the high jump with a height of 5’04.25”, while Turner was 9th in the triple jump at 36’03.00. Senior Erin Davis finished 13th in the shot put with a distance of 34’02.25”.
The 400-meter relay team of Gibson, Onyinyechi Chuku, Allison Smith and Shannon Tobias placed fourth with a time of 3:59.18.
In men’s competition, Marvin Elmore won the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.71, followed by Dallas Robinson who was second with a time of 6.92. Aaron Coney finished third with a time of 6.95.
Robinson was second in the 200-meter dash (21.98), followed by Elmore at third (22.42). Coney placed fifth with a time of 22.68.
In the mile run, Steve Maina was second behind EIU’s Dan Strackeljahn with a time of 4:15.30. Phil Scott was fifth (4:17.66) and freshman Daniel Kor was 10th with a time of 4:34.34.
Maina won the 800-meter run (1:51.76), while sophomore Geoffrey Rutto was fifth (1:57.00) and Scott was eighth (2:00.38).
James Machungo finished third in the 3000-meter run with a time of 8:42.59, while Maina was fifth at 8:46.50. Machungo placed fifth in the 5000-meter run, finishing with a time of 15:34.05.
In the men’s distance medley relay, the team of Maina, Chris Franklin, Rutto and Scott placed second with a time of 10:14.72. Franklin, Robinson, Elmore and Coney finished fourth in the 400-meter relay with a time of 3:25.30.
Junior Jon Walker was second in the long jump with a distance of 22’10.75”. Coney placed seventh (22’00.75”), while Desmond Brittle was 14th with a distance of 19’08.25”.
In the triple jump, Brittle led all Colonels with a sixth-place finish after his 43’05.00” jump. Walker was ninth (42:03.25”) and freshman O’Brian Bridges was 12th (36’10.50”).
In the shot put, senior Elijah Rader was ninth with a throw of 42’10.75”. Tristan Blackburn finished 13th in the shot put (37’03.00”) and ninth in the 35 lb. weight throw (38’02.00”).

Tennessee State’s Nick Horton was named the OVC Male Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row. He repeated as champion in both the 200- and 400-meter dashes, setting new Lantz Fieldhouse records with times of 21.3 and 47.62, respectively. Horton also ran a leg of the Tigers’ winning 4x400 relay (3:19.39).

Southeast Missouri’s Heather Jenkins and Eastern Illinois’ Alicia Harris shared OVC Female Athlete of the Year honors. Jenkins, who was Co-Athlete of the Year last season, won the shot put (49’07.25”) and set a new OVC record in the weight throw with a toss of 61’01.50”. Harris broke a Lantz Fieldhouse record in the 400-meter dash with a time of 54.96 and won the 200-meters in 24.61.

EIU’s Tom Akers was chosen as the men’s OVC Coach of the Year for the fourth straight time, while Southeast Missouri’s Joey Haines was named the women’s OVC Coach of the Year.

2004 OVC Indoor Track and Field Championship Team Results


Men’s Results
Eastern Illinois (203)
Southeast Missouri (123)
Eastern Kentucky (116)
Tennessee State (61)
Samford (47)
Murray State (45)
Morehead State (24)

Women’s Results
Southeast Missouri (170)
Eastern Kentucky (108)
Eastern Illinois (97)
Tennessee State (92.25)
Samford (48.75)
Austin Peay (35)
Murray State (34)
Tennessee Tech (17)
Jacksonville State (13)
Morehead State (9)

OVC Men’s Coach of the Year: Tom Akers, EIU
OVC Women’s Coach of the Year: Joey Haines, SEMO
OVC Male Athlete of the Year: Nick Horton, TSU
OVC Female Co-Athletes of the Year: Heather Jenkins, SEMO; Alica Harris, EIU