CAPE GIRARDEAU, Missouri – Noah Klein And New Ojutkangas were named to the 2024 OVC Cross Country Runners to Watch list, announced by the league this morning.

Little, a redshirt senior from Washington, Missouri, was named to the list after finishing with All-OVC honors the previous two years. Last year, Little finished seventh at the OVC Championships with a time of 23:59.57. In his junior year, he crossed the finish line at the championships with a time of 25:37.3, finishing 10th.

Last season, Little led the Redhawk men in every race and finished in the top 10 three times. He finished last season at the NCAA Midwest Regional Meet with a time of 33:06.8 (134th).

Ojutkangas, a redshirt sophomore, comes to the Redhawks from Lannion, France and is expected to be a great addition to the Redhawk women’s team.

Abroad, Ojutkangas was Swedish U20 cross country champion and French U18 10km road race champion. She also competed at national level as an U20 athlete, finishing second at the French U20 10km road race championships.

Both athletes will compete in the season opener at the Redhawks Invite on August 30. The race is free and open to the public and will be held at the Osage Centre Fields. The men will run the 5K at 6:15 p.m., followed by the women’s 5K at 6:45 p.m.

2024 OVC Cross Country Runners to Watch
Eastern Illinois
Richie Jacobo (Sr.), Mackenzie Aldridge (Sr.)

Linden wood
Isaac Siywo (Fr.), Kadence Berry (Sun.)

Small stone
Andrew Payton (Gr.), Marcie Cudworth (Sr.)

State of Morehead
Peyton Fairchild (Sr.), Lucy Singleton (Sr.)

Southeast Missouri

Noah Klein (R-Sr.), New Ojutkangas (R-So.)

SUUE
Tanner Emerson (Fr.), Erica Woodard (Fr.)

Southern Indiana
Alex Nolan (Sun.), Zoe Seward (Sun.)

State of Tennessee
Robert Hooper (Jr.), Devin Jones (Fr.)

Tennessee Tech
Miceal McCaul (Sr.), Helen Pacurariu-Nagy (Sr.)

UT Martin
Sam Shuman (Sr.), Maggie Roy (Jr.)

Western Illinois
Logan Lommel (Gr.), Maleigha Huston (Sr.)