BRIDGEWATER, Va. – For the eighth time in league history, Bridgewater College will host the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Cross Country Championships, with races set for Saturday, November 1. The event returns to Bridgewater's custom course, which winds along the outskirts of the Harrisonburg-area campus. The Eagles last hosted the meet in 2021.

Competition begins at 10:00 a.m. with the men's 8k championship, followed by the women's 6k race at 11:00 a.m.

W&L MEN'S PREVIEW

The No. 18 Washington and Lee men's cross country team, ranked No. 21 by FloTrack and No. 1 in the South Region, enters the ODAC Championships as the projected conference favorite and automatic qualifier. The Generals have maintained their regional lead throughout the fall, showing impressive consistency and depth across a challenging schedule that included nationally ranked competition at Paul Short and the NCAA Preview.

W&L closed its regular season with a third-place finish at the Roanoke South Region Showdown, a meet run on the same Green Hill Park course that will host the 2025 South Regional Championships. The Generals rested several top runners that weekend but still demonstrated strong team depth behind consistent performances from Robert Cooper, Keaton Rush, Sam Daunt, and William Dunaway, each ranking among the South Region's top 150 in the latest XCRI standings.

The individual race will feature a new conference champion following the departure of Lynchburg's Chasen Hunt. Washington and Lee returns three All-ODAC performers in Rush and Cooper (First Team) and Thomas Franklin (Second Team), while Lynchburg's Alex Jordan owns the ODAC's top 8k time this season at 24:32.1.

Challenging the Generals for the team title will be No. 2 Lynchburg, which narrowed the gap at the Connecticut College Invitational, while Roanoke remains a strong regional contenders.

COACH'S QUOTE

"It is always an exciting opportunity to have our full team compete at the ODAC Championships. We have our core runners who will compete up front, but it will be our depth that will carry us to our postseason goals."
-Head Coach Brandon Spalding

W&L 2025 SEASON RESULTS

• Aug. 29 – Eye Opener (Spartanburg, S.C.) – 7th of 20 (224 points)
• Sep. 5 – Virginia Tech Invitational (Blacksburg, Va.) – 3rd of 10 (96 points)
• Sep. 20 – NCAA DIII National Preview (Spartanburg, S.C.) – 3rd of 25 (82 points)
• Sep. 27 – Hornet Harrier (Winchester, Va.) – 1st of 8 (15 points)
• Oct. 3 – Paul Short Invitational (Bethlehem, Pa.) – 4th of 42 (238 points)
• Oct. 10 – Royals Cross Country Challenge (Charlotte, N.C.) – 5th of 30 (135 points)
• Oct. 18 – Roanoke South Region Showdown (Salem, Va.) – 3rd of 16 (100 points)

RANKINGS AND OUTLOOK

• USTFCCCA National Ranking: No. 18

• FloTrack National Ranking: No. 21

• USTFCCCA South Region Ranking: No. 1

• Projected ODAC/South Region Finish: 1st (Automatic Qualifier)

Washington and Lee and Lynchburg both enter the postseason nationally ranked, with the Generals sitting at No. 18 and the Hornets at No. 23 in the USTFCCCA poll. Regionally, W&L leads the South ahead of Lynchburg at No. 2 and Roanoke at No. 5.

With five runners ranked inside the South Region's top 150 — including Cooper (No. 94), Rush (No. 157), Daunt (No. 148), and Dunaway (No. 139) — W&L's balance of front-running talent and scoring depth positions the team to contend for its third consecutive ODAC title.

LIVE COVERAGE AND RESULTS

Blue Ridge Timing will provide chip timing with live splits and results throughout both races. The ODAC will also stream the championships via its FloCollege platform. Final results will be available on TFRRS, the ODAC website, and Generalssports.com following the event. Fans who can't make it in person, can watch on FloCollege.

AWARDS

Following the women's and men's races, the ODAC will present team trophies, All-ODAC honors, and the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. The top seven finishers earn First Team All-ODAC honors, while places 8–14 receive Second Team All-ODAC recognition and 15-21 earn Third Team accolades. 

TICKETS AND TRAVEL

Those planning to attend should purchase passes through the ODAC's exclusive partner, Hometown Ticketing. Admission is $10 per car and can purchased ahead of time, here.

Venue Address:
Bridgewater College Cross Country Course
402 E College St.
Bridgewater, Va. 22812

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.