After stumbling a bit last season -- thanks in part to injury and illness -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's cross country team expects to once again be a major player in the Ohio Valley Conference.

The Otahkians had finished second three straight years behind perennial OVC power Eastern Kentucky before slipping to fourth place in the nine-team league in 2000. Losing two key runners for virtually all of the season certainly didn't help Southeast's cause.

But now sporting a healthy and deep squad, Southeast coach Joey Haines is looking for the Otahkians to rebound in 2001.

"Last year we had a couple of girls out for the year that we were counting on to be in our top five and we just didn't have the depth to recover from that," said Haines, whose women's and men's teams will have their first meet Saturday at the Plough Park Invitational in Memphis, Tenn.

"But we're real excited about the season. This is the most depth we've ever had. We expect to have a good year and we sure hope to challenge for the OVC title."

Haines rates Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State as probably the two OVC favorites. Eastern had its amazing string of 18 consecutive conference titles ended by Morehead last season.

Leading the Otahkians -- who have had seven OVC runner-up finishes since joining the league in 1991 -- will be senior Amy Arteme, a Kelly High School graduate who is finishing up a brilliant collegiate cross country career.

Arteme won the OVC title in 1999 and she was the runner-up at last year's conference meet. In addition, she has been a strong track performer for the Otahkians.

"Amy has had a great career and we're looking for more big things in her senior year," said Haines.

The Otahkians' other top returning runner is sophomore Kaci Pilcher, who placed fourth in the OVC Championships as a freshman.

"That's a very good one-two punch for us," Haines said.

The two runners who missed most of last season -- junior Christy Williams with an ankle injury that required surgery and sophomore Anna Verseman with an illness -- are now back and should bolster the lineup.

Senior Jessie Thompson, a four-year runner, and sophomore Jenny Burke both return after solid seasons. Thompson was 25th in last year's OVC meet while Burke placed 32nd.

Haines is also looking for contributions from his freshmen class of Kris Woolf, Ashley Brinegar, Colleen Burke and Kim Kreiger, who has been a pleasant surprise as a walk-on.

Junior Carmen Owens, another returning runner, adds even more depth.

Indian runners

On the men's side, Southeast placed sixth in last year's OVC meet and Haines looks at this to be something of a rebuilding season.

Last year's top runner, sophomore Chad Sierman, has been battling various injuries and his status is up in the air. Sierman was 29th in the 2000 OVC race.

The Nos. 2 and 3 runners from a year ago return in senior Danny Copeland and junior Blake Popp (Jackson).

"I'm real pleased with the progress Danny and Blake have made," Haines said.

Another local product will help out in the form of freshman Gabe Austin (Cape Central).

* Haines is elated that former Southeast standout Tammy Wenkel will be taking over the primary duties of coaching the program's cross country runners in the fall and the distance runners during the track season.

Wenkel, who earned numerous all-OVC honors in both cross country and track at Southeast, served as a volunteer assistant coach for track last spring and now she's a full-time staff member.

"I'm really excited to have Tammy here," said Haines. "She's going to make a great coach and this kind of turns me loose to coach the sprinters. The last four, five years I've coached both and it's really spread me thin."