CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois cross country athletes Cale Smith, Jiberil Lesman and Avery Braker have earned recognition as the Ohio Valley Conference announced its returning All-OVC selections and 2026 Cross Country Watch Lists.
Smith was one of five men's runners named to the OVC list of Returning All-OVC performers, while Lesman was selected to the 2026 Men's Cross Country Watch List. On the women's side, Braker was named to the 2026 Women's Cross Country Watch List.
Smith returns for his senior season after earning second team All-OVC honors during the 2025 season. He placed 12th at the OVC Championship with an 8K time of 24:45.0, recording his fastest 8K time of the season. Smith also finished seventh at the EIU Walt Crawford Open and posted three additional sub-26-minute 8K performances during the season.
Lesman enters his sophomore season after competing in five meets during the 2025 campaign. He finished 27th at the OVC Championship with an 8K time of 25:25.3 and was one of EIU's five scored runners at the conference championship as the Panthers finished fourth as a team.
Lesman was one of nine men's runners selected to the 2026 OVC Watch List. The group also includes Isaac Ndiwa of Lindenwood, Jake Hagan of Morehead State, Myles Thornburg of Southeast Missouri, Christian Knobloch of SIUE, Kraedyn Young of Southern Indiana, Aaron Davis of Tennessee State, Will Douglas of UT Martin and Eason Comer of Western Illinois.
Braker represents the EIU women's program on the 2026 OVC Watch List. She joins Makenna Smith of Lindenwood, Shelby Lamb of Morehead State, Lauren Eftink of Southeast Missouri, Erica Woodard of SIUE, Addison Applegate of Southern Indiana, Jurneed Rutherford of Tennessee State, Reese Settle of UT Martin and Emma-Kate Watt of Western Illinois on the women's list.
The OVC also announced four returning women's All-OVC performers, including Nova Ojutkangas of Southeast Missouri, Ellie Hall and Zoe Seward of Southern Indiana and Lydia Bennett of Western Illinois.
Eastern Illinois will open the 2026 season on Friday, September 4, when the Panthers host the annual EIU Walt Crawford Open at the Tom Woodall Panther Trail in Charleston. The Panthers will then compete at the ISU Redbird Invite on September 18 before continuing the regular season at the Indiana State Nike XC Town Twilight on October 2 and the Bradley Pink Classic on October 16.
Eastern Illinois' men's program enters the 2026 season with 11 OVC team championships in program history. The Panthers won four consecutive conference titles from 2020 through 2023 and finished fourth at the 2025 OVC Championship.
Men's Cross Country Returning All-OVC
Cale Smith, Eastern Illinois
Aidan Massey, Morehead State
Alex Nolan, Southern Indiana
Keagan Enicks, UT Martin
Angus Monro, UT Martin
Women's Cross Country Returning All-OVC
Nova Ojutkangas, Southeast Missouri
Hadessah Austin, Southern Indiana
Ellie Hall, Southern Indiana
Zoe Seward, Southern Indiana
Lydia Bennett, Western Illinois
2026 Men's Cross Country Watch List
Jiberil Lesman, Eastern Illinois
Isaac Ndiwa, Lindenwood
Jake Hagan, Morehead State
Myles Thornburg, Southeast Missouri
Christian Knobloch, SIUE
Kraedyn Young, Southern Indiana
Aaron Davis, Tennessee State
Will Douglas, UT Martin
Eason Comer, Western Illinois
2026 Women's Cross Country Watch List
Avery Braker, Eastern Illinois
Makenna Smith, Lindenwood
Shelby Lamb, Morehead State
Lauren Eftink, Southeast Missouri
Erica Woodard, SIUE
Addison Applegate, Southern Indiana
Jurneed Rutherford, Tennessee State
Reese Settle, UT Martin
Emma-Kate Watt, Western Illinois
