ODAC Releases Preseason Cross Country Coaches Polls
SALEM, Va. -- The Old Dominion
Athletic Conference released its annual preseason cross country
coaches polls on Monday and the Washington and Lee women's team was
tabbed to win its sixth-consecutive title, while the men's team was
pegged to finish second.
The W&L women, winners of the last five ODAC titles, received
78 points, including six first-place votes. The Generals were
followed by Lynchburg (69 points, one first-place vote), Roanoke
(67 points, two first-place votes), Virginia Wesleyan (53),
Bridgewater (44), Guilford (38), Randolph (21), Emory & Henry
(18) and Eastern Mennonite (17).
W&L returns three All-ODAC runners from a season ago in junior
Katherine Fenwick (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) and seniors Kat Telfeyan
(Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) and Dorothy Todd (Watkinsville,
Ga./Athens Academy). Telfeyan, a second team all-conference
selection a year ago, was the 2007 ODAC Runner of the Year, as well
as the 2006 Rookie of the Year. Todd earned first team
all-conference accolades and Fenwick garnered All-ODAC Second Team
laurels after finishing in seventh and 11th, respectively.
Lynchburg, the defending league champion, led the way on the men's
side with 94 points and six first-place votes. The Generals, who
have won four of the last five ODAC Championships, garnered a pair
of first-place votes and totaled 86 points. Virginia Wesleyan (83
points, two first-place votes), Roanoke (68), Bridgewater (65),
Guilford (46), Hampden-Sydney (42), Emory & Henry (27), Eastern
Mennonite (25), Randolph (14) rounded out the poll.
The Generals return one all-conference runner from a year ago in
junior Jack Ivy (Memphis, Tenn./White Station), who finished eighth
last season and was a second team honoree. W&L, which must
replace three of its top-four finishers from a year ago, will look
to sophomore Robert Warnerford-Thompson (Richmond, Va./Trinity
Episcopal), senior Ben Stutts (Beverly Hills, Calif./Beverly Hills)
and sophomore Matt Gossett (Atlanta, Ga./Wesleyan School) to lead
the way in 2009. The trio finished in 23rd, 25th and 26th,
respectively, at last season's championship meet.
Both the men's and women's teams kick off the 2009 by hosting the
W&L Invitational on Sept. 12. The women's race is set to begin
at 10:00 am, while the men's race will begin at 11:00 am.
-- GENERALS --
