Bradford, Jessee Named Cross Country Runners to Watch by OVC
Senior Carter Bradford and junior Makaleigh Jessee were named Runners to Watch by the Ohio Valley Conference, as announced today by the conference.
By Jeff Bowe, TTU Athletics Media Relations
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Senior Carter Bradford and junior Makaleigh Jessee were named Runners to Watch by the Ohio Valley Conference, as announced today by the conference.
Bradford and Jessee lead the Golden Eagles into a new season that begins on Friday, Aug. 29, at the Covered Bridge Open hosted by Appalachian State in Boone, N.C.
Bradford finished the 2025 outdoor track and field season with a personal best of 3:52.79 in the 1500 at the Outdoor Music City Challenge. He closed the 2024 season with a personal best in the 10K (32:52.4) at the NCAA DI South Region Cross Country Championships on Nov. 15. He posted a personal best in the 8k (24:59.0) at the OVC Championships on Nov. 1. He recorded a 3rd-place finish in the 8K (25:57.7) at the Golden Eagle Invitational on Oct. 18.
Bradford enters his senior season after qualifying for the NCAA postseason in two of his last three campaigns.
Jessee posted a standout first season with Tennessee Tech in 2024, appearing in all six events in the fall and recording a season-best time 18:38.4 in the 5K at the Covered Bridge Open on Sept. 15. She turned in a top-15 performance at the OVC Championships, clocking a 22:14.46 in the 6K qualifying for the NCAA South Regionals as a Freshman and then running a season-best 6K (21:45.6) at the regional on Nov. 10.
Jessee qualified for the NCAA South Regional in her second season with the Golden Eagles in 2024. She was a three-sport letterwinner at Abingdon High School, lettering in cross country and indoor/outdoor track and field.
The Golden Eagles Men's and Women's Cross Country teams open the 2025 season on Friday, Aug. 29, at the Covered Bridge Open hosted by Appalachian State in Boone, N.C.
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