The 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Cross Country Championship will be run on Saturday at the Putnum County Sports Complex in Cookeville, Tennessee. The women's 6K race will begin at 10 a.m. CT with the men's 8K race following at 11 a.m. CT.
Tennessee Tech is serving as the host for the first time since 2010. The meet is free and open to the public. The course is located at 297 Whiteaker Springs Rd., Cookeville, TN 38506.
This will be the 62nd OVC men's championship, as the first one was held in 1962. UT Martin's men have finished in the top half at the OVC Championship in each of the past six seasons – including a third-place finish last year to mark the program's best finish at the championship.
UT Martin's men head into the championship searching for its first team title after a strong season. The Skyhawks ranked in the USTFCCCA South Region for a couple weeks after posting a team title earlier this year at the Golden Eagle Invitational – the host course of the OVC Championships. The team has finished in the top-5 in each of its four meets this year along with a runner-up placement at the Live in Lou Classic.
The Skyhawks have had a consistent scoring group led by sophomore Will Cahill and 2021 All-OVC first team honoree Luke McNair. Cahill led UT Martin in the first three meets of the season while posting an individual title at the Golden Eagle Invitational and notching an 8k PR of 24:17.5 at the Louisville Classic. McNair was the team's top performer last season while ranking in the scoring group in all four meets this season, including a PR performance at the UAB Blazer Classic the last time out of 24:23.8.
The tandem of George Payne and Luke Johnson have been in the scoring group in each meet this season. Payne has finished second in two of the four meets while setting a PR at the Louisville Classic with a time of 24:54.3. Johnson has excelled in his freshman campaign to be a consistent scoring contributor while posting his best collegiate time at the UAB Blazer Classic at 25:18.5. Rounding out the scoring group has been Cole Davis with three top-five finishes while Victor Kemboi and Jack Blyth each scored in one meet.
The women's championship will be determined for the 44th time this year with this year's meet marking the first time the women's race has been run at the 6K distance (it was previously a 5K race). The change was made to align the distance with the NCAA Regionals, which will be held two weeks after the OVC Championship. The Skyhawk women finished seventh in 2021.
The Skyhawk women have consistently improved this season with junior Lilia Alvarez leading the way in all four meets. Alvarez's best 6k time came last season at the NCAA South Region Championship while recently recording her best 5k time at the Louisville Classic. The pair of Rita Eimer and Cierra Nord have also finished in the scoring group in all four meets while posting PRs in their most recent outing.
The squad will likely see the scoring-five rounded out by Maggie Roy and Lydia Tankersley after joining the scoring group in three meets this season. Other contenders are Jill Plotner and Tori Holliday after each finishing top-five in one meet.
The OVC Athletes and Freshmen of the Year, which are determined by coaches vote, will be announced on Friday night. The Coach of the Year, Athletes of the Championship and All-OVC honors will be presented following Saturday's Championship.
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