By: Bryce Weymouth, Sport Information Assistant

Aug. 12, 2008

Cape Girardeau, Mo. - Southeast Missouri State men's cross country team was selected to finish fifth, and women's cross country was selected to finish fourth in the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, released today by the conference office. The men's cross country team earned 56 points as the women earned 51 points in the annual poll that was voted on by the conference's head coaches.

The Redhawks men's cross country team, which finished fourth at the OVC Championship in 2007, returns two of the top-ten finishers in last years OVC Championship. Brandon Karcher (Mt. Vernon, Ill.) finished ninth with a time of 25:48.93 and Brandon Funderburk (St. Peters, Mo.) finished 10th with a time of 25:54.32 for the Redhawks.

"As for the preseason poll, Eastern Kentucky is clearly the class of the field," said head coach Miles Krieger. "I have thought all along that we could be as high as second and as low as fifth based on any given day of racing. I look forward to getting the season under way with the Redhawks men. I believe firmly that Karcher and Funderburk can improve upon their finishes from last year, and I look for Dustin Davis to make a large impact."

The Redhawks women's cross country team, which finished third at the OVC Championship in 2007, is led by Juli Koenegstein (Chester, Ill.) who finished seventh in last years OVC Championship after finishing 8th in the 2006 OVC Championship.

"We lost a good chunk of our team after last season and will be in the process of rebuilding," said Krieger. "I believe our ladies could finish as high as third but think Murray State and EKU might be out of our reach. I look forward to seeing where Juli stacks up in the front of the conference with the likes of Stephanie Place, Katie Ankrom and Katelyn Jones. Murray State and coach England have come on strong, and I look for them to be a big threat in the fall."

Southeast will kick-off its season August 30 in the Stegemoller Classic, hosted by the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville Indiana.

Southeast will host the 2008 OVC Cross Country Championship on November 1.