Brentwood, TN – After picking up her first victory in nearly a year at Friday’s JSU Foothills Invitational, Austin Peay State University junior Xiamar Richards was named Ohio Valley Conference Female Cross Country Runner of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.
Richards season-best 18:39.17 run bested the field by more than three seconds for her third career victory and led the Lady Govs to a fourth-place team finish. The Clarksville native won last season’s KSU Thorobreds and Earl Jacoby Memorial as well.
If Richards is to repeat as an All-OVC performer, this meet will give her an advantage. Richards’ win came on the Oxford Lake and Recreation Center course, which will be home to this season’s OVC Cross Country Championships.
“It is nice to have one of your athletes recognized by the conference,” said head coach Doug Molnar. “Xiamar has been working hard and it is definitely starting to pay off. She battled throughout the race right down to the last 60 meters for the win. It was a nice victory for her.”
The Lady Govs will be back on the course Saturday at the Front Runner Invitational, hosted by Chattanooga.
