cCLINTON, Miss. - The No. 15-ranked Washington and Lee University men's cross country team earned a third-place finish at the NCAA South Regional Championships on Saturday, November 16. The Generals scored 59 points, placing behind champion Lynchburg (51 points) and runner-up Emory (56 points), in a highly competitive race that was separated by just eight points.
Keaton Rush (4th), Row Sterne (5th), and Robert Cooper (6th) led the Generals with top-10 finishes, all clocking times under 25:01. Should the Generals not be named an at-large team selection for nationals, Rush, Sterne and Cooper will qualify for the NCAA DIII National Championships by being one of the first seven runners, not from a team qualifier, to cross the finish line.
TOP-3 TEAM RESULTS
- 1. Lynchburg – 51 points (1-3-11-13-23- [45][71])
- 2. Emory – 56 points ( 7-8-10-15-16-[17][26])
- 3. Washington and Lee – 59 points (4-5-6-20-24-[25][50])
SCORING SEVEN
RACE HIGHLIGHTS
- Top Performers: Keaton Rush (4th), Row Sterne (5th), and Robert Cooper (6th) led the Generals with top-10 finishes, all clocking times under 25:01.
- Team Depth: W&L placed all five scoring runners in the top 25, showcasing depth and consistency.
- Tight Pack: The Generals' top-5 spread of 59 seconds and average time of 25:18 underlined their competitive performance against the region's best teams.
- All-Region: Rush, Sterne, Cooper, Thomas Franklin, Jackson Kodenski and William Dunaway all earned All-Region status by finishing inside the top-35.
- Top 5 Total Time: 2:06:31
- Top 5 Average Time: 25:18
- Top 5 Spread: 0:59
- Top 7 Total Time: 2:59:37
- Top 7 Spread: 2:10
LOOKING AHEAD
With their third-place finish, the Generals await an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships, scheduled for Saturday, November 23, at the LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course in Terre Haute, Indiana. In addition to the region's winners, 22 teams will earn at-large bids rounding out field of 32. The top-seven individuals from each meet, who do not qualify as a team, will advance to the NCAA Championship as an individual qualifier. The entire NCAA Championship field will be announced on Sunday.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
