APSU Women’s Cross Country Team picked 7th in OVC

Brentwood, TN – Austin Peay State University women’s cross country team was picked to finish seventh in the Ohio Valley Conference’s preseason cross country coaches poll, Wednesday.

The Lady Govs received 62 points in the poll, and were selected ahead of SIU Edwardsville (53 points), Jacksonville State (45), UT Martin (31), Tennessee Tech (23) and Tennessee State (11). Defending champion Eastern Kentucky (121 points, 11 first-place votes) was picked to repeat, while 2012 runner-up Belmont (102, one first-place vote) and 2011 champion Eastern Illinois look to challenge for the title.

A host of veterans return for head coach Doug Molnar’s squad, led by two-time all-conference selection Xiamar Richards and seniors Kendra Kirksey and Chantelle Grey. Molnar has added several talented youngsters to the 2013 squad, adding depth to a roster that was sorely thin at times in 2012.

“Polls are just polls, to give people something to talk about,” Molnar said. “We’ll use this as motivation throughout the year, but we’ll see in October and November how good we really are.”

The Lady Govs kick off the 2013 campaign Saturday, Aug. 31st, at the Brooks Memphis Twilight Classic. Austin Peay is scheduled to compete in six meets this season, leading up to the OVC Championships, Nov. 2nd, hosted by Morehead State in Morehead, Ky.