Monday was a big day for the Eastern men’s cross country team.

The Panthers won the OVC Championship in Clarksville, Tennessee, earning the eighth conference title in program history and first since 2005.

Eastern cross country coach Erin Howarth was named the OVC Men’s Cross Country Coach of the Year and the Panthers’ top-five finishers Monday all picked up either first or second team All-OVC honors.

Howarth was named the OVC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 2019.

The Panthers’ top-five finishers all placed from fifth to 11th place, with redshirt-junior Dustin Hatfield finishing in fifth place to lead the team.

Junior Franky Romano finished just behind Hatfield in sixth place, and both he and Hatfield earned first team All-OVC honors.

Senior Jaime Marcos finished in eighth place for the Panthers, redshirt-senior Marcus Skinner finished 10th and freshman Richie Jacobo came in 11th place.

All three were named second team All-OVC and Jacobo was named the OVC Men’s Freshman of the Year.

The other two runners for Eastern were sophomore Adam Swanson and senior David Thompson, who finished in 20th place and 30th place respectively.

Eastern had 40 points in the event, edging out Eastern Kentucky’s 44 points. The Colonels had won the last 14 conference championships entering this year.

The women’s cross country team also participated in the championship Monday, finishing third in the conference.

Redshirt-junior Kate Bushue was the Panthers’ top finisher, coming in third place.

Seniors Maggie McPherson and Avani Flanagan placed fourth and sixth, and along with Bushue, were named first team All-OVC.

Freshman Mackenzie Aldridge placed 11th and was named second team All-OVC.

Adam Tumino can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].