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** During the month of July, EIUPanthers.com will take a look back at 15 events, moments and players that helped shape the 2022-23 academic year. **

In one of the closest finishes in Ohio Valley Conference women's championship history, Eastern Illinois claimed its third OVC Championship on Saturday morning winning by just one point over Southern Indiana in the race contested in Cookeville, Tenn.
 
Running at the 6K distance for the first time in championship history, EIU won the event scoring 41 points with Southern Indiana second with 42 points.  Host Tennessee Tech was third with 71 followed by Southeast Missouri with 91.  It was EIU's third OVC Championship on the women's side joining previous championships from 2001 and 2011
 
A total of four Panthers runners earned All-OVC honors in the championship race with Kate Bushue and Mackenzie Aldridge earning first team honors.  Sarah Carr and Katie Springer collected second team honors as EIU had all five of its scored runners finish in the top 16 handing the Panthers the crown.
 
Bushue was second with a 6K time of 21:54.8 while Aldridge was third with a time of 21:58.1.   
 
Carr placed eighth with a time of 22:29.9 with Springer crossing in 12th with a time of 22:46.9.   Alex Gomez was EIU's fifth scored runner to cross the line finishing in 16th with a time of 22:58.8.