Will this finally be the year that somebody dethrones Eastern Kentucky as the Ohio Valley Conference women's cross country champion?

Southeast Missouri State University's Otahkians believe it just might be.

The 1998 OVC Championships will be held today at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville. The women's 5,000-meter race is slated to start at 10 a.m., followed by the men's 8,000-meter competition at 10:45.

Eastern Kentucky's men and women will be looking to defend their conference titles. The Lady Colonels have won the past 16 OVC championships and are favored to extend that streak today.

But the Otahkians, third-place finishers a year ago, feel like they just might have the ammunition to halt the Lady Colonels' streak.

"Eastern Kentucky has tradition on their side and they have another outstanding team which will make them tough to beat," said Southeast coach Joey Haines. "On the other hand, our girls have done everything that we've asked of them and I think we have a good chance to contend."

Southeast has been led all season by senior Janelle Quigley, the leader of an extremely young team. Quigley said earlier in the year that she believes the Otahkians have a shot at unseating the Lady Colonels.

"Everybody has just really done well this year," Quigley said. "You never know what's going to happen (at the conference meet), but if we run up to our capabilities, I think we have a good chance."

EKU will be led individually by Sarah Blossom, the 1995 champion and last year's runnerup, along with Celestina Ogbolugo, last year's third-place finisher.

Southeast will counter with Quigley, who has been the Otahkians' top runner in virtually every meet this season. She has been the OVC Runner of the Week three times and should challenge for the title.

Otahkian juniors Leslie McNamara and Tammy Wenkel should also contend for high finishes while several younger runners -- including sophomore Celeste Ramsey from Perryville, freshman Amy Arteme from Kelly and freshmen Hannah Stuckenschneider and Jessie Thompson -- should bolster the team effort.

"We've got a solid team," said Haines. "Janelle, our only senior, and Leslie and Tammy, our two juniors, have really run well. And so have the younger girls."

On the men's side, Eastern Kentucky has won 12 straight OVC titles. Southeast's men finished sixth last year and are in a rebuilding process.