BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky University sophomore Soufiane Bouchikhi and senior Kat Pagano narrowly missed setting school records in the indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters, respectively, this weekend at the Washington Husky Classic in Seattle. However, both received Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honors for their efforts.

Bouchikhi, who was named the OVC Male Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, competed against some of the best distance runners in the country on Saturday – a slew of former Olympians and national champions - and finished fifth in his heat of the men’s 3,000 meters with an OVC-best time of 8:00.14. His time is the 35th fastest in the country this year and is less than two seconds off Jacob Korir’s school record of 7:58.25.

This is Bouchiki’s first career OVC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honor. The native of Antwerp, Belgium is the reigning OVC men’s cross country champion and the reigning OVC Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year.

Pagano, who was named the OVC Female Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, got even closer to a school record at the Husky Open. The Hollis, Me. native, who already holds the school record in the outdoor 10,000 meters, finished 10th in her heat in the women’s 5,000 meters on Friday with an OVC and personal-best time of 17:09.19. Her time is the second fastest in school history and less than a second of Sarah Blossom’s record of 17:08.79.

This is also Pagano’s first career OVC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honor. The senior is the reigning OVC women’s cross country champion and has won three OVC track and field titles in her illustrious career.

Other winners this week were Eastern Illinois’ Tyler Carter (Male Field Athlete of the Week) and Tennessee Tech’s Katie Lowery (Female Field Athlete of the Week).

The EKU track and field team returns to action at the OVC Indoor Championships to be held Feb. 25-26 in Charleston, Ill.