Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Contact: Chris Kilcoyne
540-387-9073 / chris@odaconline.com

Washington and Lee Picked as Favorite in ODAC Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country Polls

SALEM, VA – Defending men’s and women’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) cross-country champion Washington and Lee has been picked to repeat in 2005 in a vote take by the league’s head coaches.

W&L's Lindsay Erickson

On the men’s side, the Generals received seven of a possible nine first-place votes and a total of 78 points to take the top-spot.  W&L will be paced this season by 2004 ODAC Runner-of-the-Year Nathan Johnson.  Johnson led the field at last year’s league meet at Eastern Mennonite, crossing the finish line in a time of 28:15.56.  Johnson advanced to the NCAA National Race, placing 83^rd of 215 runners.  2004 Freshman-of-the-Year Alex Mahoney will join Johnson on the Generals squad trying to repeat.  Mahoney finished second at the ODAC Championship last season with a time of 28:24.20.

Lynchburg and Roanoke tied for second-place with 69 points and one first-place vote each.  The Maroons placed second at the league championships last season and return First-Team All-ODAC members Zack Tembi and Eric Johnson who finished third and fifth, respectively at EMU last season.  The Hornets, who will feature sophomore First-Team All-ODAC runner Marc Carlton, will be trying to return to the top of the league after wining four consecutive titles from 1999-2002.

Eastern Mennonite landed in fourth-place with 50 points followed by Bridgewater (42-points), Hampden-Sydney (33-points), Guilford (27-points), Virginia Wesleyan (27-points) and Emory and Henry (10-points).

W&L sits atop the women’s poll after garnering seven of a possible eight first-place votes and a total of 63 points.  Back for the Generals this season will be 2004 ODAC Runner and Freshman-of-the-Year Lindsay Erickson.  Erickson broke the tape at the ODAC Championship, finishing the course in a time of 24:42.89 to lead W&L to the overall team win.  Fellow First-Team All-ODAC runner Kelley Zwart, who placed sixth at EMU last season with a time of 26:48.81, will be back for 2004 ODAC Coach-of-the-Year Kris Hoey.

RC was voted second with a total of 55 points and one first-place vote.  Finn Pincus’ squad finished behind the W&L last season at the league championships after a strong performance from returning First-Team All-ODAC performer Bridget Tainer, who posted a fifth-place finish with time of 26.32.34.

LC is in the third slot in the poll with 49 points followed by Bridgewater (41-points), Virginia Wesleyan (27-points), Eastern Mennonite (26-points) Guilford (19-points) and Emory and Henry (8-points).

This year’s ODAC Cross-Country Championship will be hosted by Guilford at Hagen Stone Park in Greensboro , N.C. on October 29.