W&L Harriers Win Conference Titles
Both the Washington and Lee University men’s and women’s cross country team defended their Old Dominion Athletic Conference titles on Saturday in Bridgewater.
In the men’s race, the No. 18 Generals had five finishers in the top 11 and scored 27 points. No. 23 Lynchburg placed second of 10 teams with 33 points, while Roanoke (72) finished third. Rounding out the top five were Shenandoah (128) and Bridgewater (143).
W&L sophomore Sam Daunt won the race in 25 minutes, 36.9 seconds, edging junior teammate Robert Cooper, who placed second of 110 harriers in 25:37.1. Both runners broke the previous course record of 25:42.6, set in 2015.
The Generals’ third runner was senior Keaton Rush (fifth, 25:52.9), who was voted the ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. Also running in the Generals’ top seven were sophomore William Dunaway (eighth, 26:06.2), junior Thomas Franklin (11th, 26:22.3), sophomore Jackson Kodenski (12th, 26:25.3) and sophomore Raja Mehendale (17th, 26:42.7).
In the women’s race, the No. 14 Generals had their top seven runners in the top nine to win the race with 21 points. Lynchburg placed second of eight teams with 68 points, and Shenandoah (89) finished third. Rounding out the top five were Bridgewater (103) and Roanoke (116).
W&L junior Olivia Warr repeated as the ODAC individual champion, setting a course record with a time of 21:39.8 on the 6K course. Junior teammate Lydia Harvey placed second of 92 harriers in 22:06.4, also under the previous course record of 22:21.9, set in 2015, and was recognized as the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
W&L’s third runner was freshman Maddy Morgan (fifth, 22:48.8), and she was followed closely by senior teammate Eve Spencer (sixth, 22:54.5). Completing the Generals’ top seven were junior Reese Brown (seventh, 23:02.6) and freshmen Josie Engle (eighth, 23:05.7) and Adelaide Ellis (ninth, 23:17.9).
The Generals will next compete in the NCAA South Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Green Hill Park in Salem. The men’s race is slated for 10 a.m., with the women’s race scheduled to follow at 11. For W&L’s schedule and updates, visit www.generalssports.com.
SVU Women Win XC Title, Men Second
The Southern Virginia University women’s cross country team defended its USA South Athletic Conference title, while the SVU men placed second on Saturday in Misenheimer, N.C.
With four runners in the top six, the SVU women won the race with 25 points, narrowly beating runner-up Meredith (30). Pfeiffer (86) placed third of five teams, Methodist (115) finished fourth, and Brevard (129) came in fifth.
Meredith’s Delaney Bundy was the individual winner, finishing the 6K course in 22:03.3. SVU had the next three finishers. Junior Bayleigh Redd-Armstrong placed second of 50 harriers in 22:26.7, junior Sasha Braddy finished third in 22:40.8, and freshman Kaylee Horner came in fourth in 22:57.6. Also making the top six for the Knights was sophomore Emma Hillam (sixth, 23:27.8).
Completing SVU’s top seven were junior Kenia Reynolds (11th, 24:29.7), freshman Kyra Lee (14th, 25:10.3) and sophomore Jasmine De Souza (16th, 25:27.9). Lee is a 2025 Parry McCluer High School graduate, and De Souza graduated from PM in 2024.
Also competing in the race was Mary Baldwin sophomore Nicky Black, a 2024 Rockbridge County High School graduate, who placed eighth in 24:17.6. Mary Baldwin did not have the minimum number of runners, five, to record a team score.
In the men’s race, Pfeiffer won with a perfect score of 15 points, while SVU placed second of five teams with 57 points. Brevard (74) finished third, Mary Baldwin (116) placed fourth, and Methodist (117) came in fifth.
Pfeiffer’s Bricen Burleson was the individual winner, completing the 8K course in 25:05.5.
SVU’s top runner was freshman Taylor Weiland, placing seventh of 40 harriers in 26:12.3. Sophomore Gary Rogers also cracked the top 10 for SVU, finishing 10th in 26:51.8.
Knights finishing after Rogers were junior Joseph Hughes (13th, 27:45.8), senior Carter Johnson (18th, 28:35.5), freshman Easton Higley (23rd, 29:58.1), sophomore Truman Meyer (27th, 32:04.9).
The Knights will next compete in the NCAA South Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 15 at Green Hill Park in Salem. The men’s race is slated for 10 a.m., with the women’s race scheduled to follow at 11.
For SVU’s schedule and updates, visit knightathletics.com.
