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Thornburg, Eftink Named OVC Runners to Watch
8/26/2026 10:17:00 AM | Cross Country
Myles Thornburg and Lauren Eftink were named to the 2026 OVC Runner to Watch list, announced by the league this morning.
Thornburg, a junior from Liberty, Missouri, raced in all seven meets in the 2025 season. He opened the season with an 11th place finish and time of 15:37.4 at the Redhawk Invite. Thornburg's PR came at the OVC Championships, finishing in 17th place and breaking the 25-minute mark for the first time at 24:59.1. This placement helped place the Redhawks into their second-place finish as a team. He finished the 2025 season at the NCAA D1 Midwest Regional Championships, running the 10k in 31:41.3.
"Myles is also the 7th best placing returner on the men's side, but he has the significant job of filling the shoes of graduated athletes who were a combined 11 times All-Conference in XC and Track. He has showed continued improvement his entire career and we will depend on him to keep our continued growth as a team."said coach Ryan Lane.
Eftink, a junior from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, also ran in all seven meets last season. She placed within the top 20 runners in four meets, and also led the Redhawks women in two. Eftink's performances at each race steadily increased, continuing to create a new PR at each meet. Her 5k PR, set at the Redhawk Invitational, was 18:37.7. Her best time for the 6k race came in at the OVC Championships, where she finished 15th overall at a time of 22:07.6. After qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Regional she finished in 23:27.4 in 183rd.
"Lauren is the 7th best placing athlete returning from last year's OVC Championships, I fully expect her to be in a position to be 1st Team All-Conference and help lead a team that can scare for a Championship. Our women can do something special this fall and her individual success will be a catalyst towards that goal." coach Ryan Lane commented.
Nova Ojutkangas, a redshirt senior from Lannion, France, was also listed in the release as an All-OVC returning runner. She raced in three meets last season, leading the Redhawks women in each. Ojutkangas finished first overall at the OVC Championships, completing a time of 20:57.1 to earn OVC Women's Athlete of the Championship and first team All-OVC honors. In the Midwest Regional Championships, she accomplished a time of 21:52.5, finishing in 63rd.
All athletes will open the season at the 2026 Redhawks Invitational on Friday, September 4th. The meet is free and open to the public and will be staged at the Osage Center Fields. The men's 5k will start at 6:15 p.m., while the women's 5k follows afterward.
Thornburg, a junior from Liberty, Missouri, raced in all seven meets in the 2025 season. He opened the season with an 11th place finish and time of 15:37.4 at the Redhawk Invite. Thornburg's PR came at the OVC Championships, finishing in 17th place and breaking the 25-minute mark for the first time at 24:59.1. This placement helped place the Redhawks into their second-place finish as a team. He finished the 2025 season at the NCAA D1 Midwest Regional Championships, running the 10k in 31:41.3.
"Myles is also the 7th best placing returner on the men's side, but he has the significant job of filling the shoes of graduated athletes who were a combined 11 times All-Conference in XC and Track. He has showed continued improvement his entire career and we will depend on him to keep our continued growth as a team."said coach Ryan Lane.
Eftink, a junior from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, also ran in all seven meets last season. She placed within the top 20 runners in four meets, and also led the Redhawks women in two. Eftink's performances at each race steadily increased, continuing to create a new PR at each meet. Her 5k PR, set at the Redhawk Invitational, was 18:37.7. Her best time for the 6k race came in at the OVC Championships, where she finished 15th overall at a time of 22:07.6. After qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Regional she finished in 23:27.4 in 183rd.
"Lauren is the 7th best placing athlete returning from last year's OVC Championships, I fully expect her to be in a position to be 1st Team All-Conference and help lead a team that can scare for a Championship. Our women can do something special this fall and her individual success will be a catalyst towards that goal." coach Ryan Lane commented.
Nova Ojutkangas, a redshirt senior from Lannion, France, was also listed in the release as an All-OVC returning runner. She raced in three meets last season, leading the Redhawks women in each. Ojutkangas finished first overall at the OVC Championships, completing a time of 20:57.1 to earn OVC Women's Athlete of the Championship and first team All-OVC honors. In the Midwest Regional Championships, she accomplished a time of 21:52.5, finishing in 63rd.
All athletes will open the season at the 2026 Redhawks Invitational on Friday, September 4th. The meet is free and open to the public and will be staged at the Osage Center Fields. The men's 5k will start at 6:15 p.m., while the women's 5k follows afterward.
Players Mentioned
Friday, June 26
Thursday, June 04
Wednesday, June 03
Wednesday, June 03
