RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University's men's track team finished third and the EKU women's track team placed fourth in the annual Ohio Valley Conference meet held last weekend at Middle Tennessee State University.

EKU freshman James Mutuse, who won the Ohio Valley Conference cross country championship last fall, led the way for the Colonels with three first-place finishes: 5,000-meter run, 14:51.19; 10,000-meter run, 30:53.37; and 3,000-meter steeplechase, 9:12.44. For this effort, he was voted as the OVC Outdoor Track Male Athlete of the Year.

Junior Soto Ogawa aided the cause with a second-place finish in the 10,000 meters (32:14.04) and a third-place finish in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:30.38).

"We were very pleased with our men's team finish. We actually finished a couple of spots higher that where we had expected to place," said EKU head track coach Rick Erdmann.

Eastern's men's squad received most of its points through the distance events. In the 1,500-meter run, senior Daniel Koech finished second (3:54.44) and junior Ryan Parrish was fourth (3:55.94). Senior David Machungo was third in the 5,000-meter run (15:15.17), sophomore Rob Jones was fifth in the 400-meter hurdles (52.98), the 4x100 relay was fourth (42.28) and the 4x400 relay was third (3:12.97).

Senior Jenni Brown, junior Kenyetta Grigsby, senior Lystra Bartholomew and freshman Angie Lee led the way for the Eastern women's team. Brown took home first place in the 5,000-meter run (18:19.82) and finished second in the 3,000 meters (10:19.66).

Grigsby won the 100 meter hurdles (13.98) and Bartholomew was right behind in second place (14.04). Lee was third in the 1,500 meters (4:38.75) and fourth in the 3,000 meters (10:34.03).

"We were a little disappointed in our finish on the women's side," said Erdmann.

Other top efforts for EKU were posted by sophomore Kathy Dodsworth who finished second in the discus (148-11); senior Pauline Mitchell who was third in the 800 meters (2:12.93); junior Davina McCluney who was fifth in the 200 meters (24.98) and sophomore Heather Davel in the 10,000 meters with her fifth-place finish (40:25.03).

EKU placed second in the 4x100 relay (46.49) and fifth in the 4x400 relay (3:51.22).

Final scores on the men's side showed Eastern Illinois in first with 222 points, followed by Middle Tennessee, 153.50; EKU, 96.50; Murray State, 93; Southeast Missouri, 92; Tennessee State, 46; Morehead State, 17; and UT Martin, 6.

Final scores in the women's meet were: Southeast Missouri, 136; Middle Tennessee, 111; Eastern Illinois, 110; Eastern Kentucky, 87; Austin Peay, 79; Tennessee State, 64; UT Martin, 47; Morehead State, 36; Tennessee Tech, 19; and Murray State, 11.