LEXINGTON, Va. - The Washington and Lee University women's track and field team opens their 2025-26 campaign on Saturday, Dec. 6 as they head over to neighboring Virginia Military Institute for the Colonel Bev Read Opener inside the CPTF-Corps Physical Training Facility.

Entering her 13th season as the leader of the W&L women's track and field program, head coach Dana Freeman and staff have brought in 18 first-year student-athletes. The class of 2029 hails from ten different states while two student-athletes are from the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Last season, the Generals hoisted their second Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title and their first since 2009 with a 197.75 point performance at the indoor meet in March. The Blue and White won seven of the 16 events at the conference meet while outscoring runner-ups, Bridgewater College, by 69.75 points.

2025-26 Schedule Overview

 The Generals open their 2025-26 campaign on Dec. 6 at the Colonel Bev Read Opener in Lexington, Va. at VMI's CPTF-Corps Physical Training Facility.

The competition picks back up Jan. 17 at the VMI Team Challenge in Lexington, kicking off a steady winter run. From there, W&L stays in Virginia for key preparatory meets: the Shane Stevens Winter Invite (Jan. 24, Bridgewater), Bast-Cregger Invitational (Jan. 30, Salem), and a home-base February stretch at VMI with the Winter Relays (Feb. 6) and Winter Classic (Feb. 14). The regular season closes with back-to-back tune-ups at the Rockingham Collegiate Classic (Feb. 20, Harrisonburg) and the JDL Last Chance Invite (Feb. 21, Winston-Salem, N.C.) before the start of championship season.

Championship season begins Feb. 28-Mar. 1 at the ODAC Indoor Championships in Salem, Va., where conference crowns and NCAA-qualifying performances will be the priority. The year finishes on the sport’s biggest stage March 13-14 at the NCAA Division III Indoor National Championships in Birmingham, Ala.

Key Returners 

The Blue and White return 12 All-Conference performers and seven ODAC Champions from last season's squad. Second Team All-America, Olivia Warr, highlights the returners after winning the 3,000m (9:48.64) and 5,000m (17:41.40) at the indoor championships last season. Her performances also earned her All-Region honors in those events. Camille Gillum is another returning ODAC Champion after claiming the high jump title for the second-straight season, clearing a height of 1.64m. Gillum also earned South Region recognition while qualifying for Nationals and securing Second Team All-America honors. Bailey Hedgemon and Jesma Evans were the final individual champions for the Blue and White at last season's indoor championships. Hedgemon won the weight throw with a toss of 16.28m while securing Third Team All-ODAC honors in the shot put with a mark of 11.76m. Evans sprinted her way to the 400m title, setting a new ODAC meet and program record with a time of 57.30s. Ana Hodneland, Charlotte Gardner and Mary Gorsky are the final returning First Team All-ODAC honorees. The trio helped claim the title in the distance medley relay, crossing the finish line in 12:45.67.

Emily Jackson and Sophia Breschi are returning Second Team All-ODAC recipients this year. Jackson turned in a second place finish in the shot put in her first conference meet of her career, recording a mark of 12.15m. Breschi crossed the finish line 5:01.07 in the mile to earn second team laurels as well while garnering All-Region honors in the event as well. Ana Hodneland, Lucie Graziano, and Jesma Evans all earned Second Team honors in the 4x400m relay, helping the squad clock in a time of 4:02.69 to finish in second place.

Layla Keadle and Lucie Graziano rounded out the All-ODAC returners, both earning Third Team accolades. Keadle finished in third place at the indoor meet, soaring over a height of 3.41m to earn her first career conference honor while earning All-Region laurels as well. Graziano clocked in a time of 2:22.43 in the 800m to secure third place and All-conference honors.

2024-25 All-ODAC Returners

• 3,000m -  Olivia Warr - 9:48.64 - First Team All-ODAC
• 5,000m - Olivia Warr - 17:41.40 - First Team All-ODAC
• Weight Throw - Bailey Hedgemon - 16.28m - First Team All-ODAC
• High Jump - Camille Gillum - 1.64m - First Team All-ODAC
• Distance Medley Relay - Ana Hodneland, Charlotte Gardner, Mary Gorsky - 12:45.67 - First Team All-ODAC
• 400m - Jesma Evans - 57.30s - First Team All-ODAC
• Shot Put - Emily Jackson - 12.15m - Second Team All-ODAC
• Mile - Sophia Breschi - 5:01.07 - Second Team All-ODAC
• 4x400m Relay - Ana Hodneland, Lucie Graziano, Jesma Evans - 4:02.69 - Second Team All-ODAC
• Pole Vault - Layla Keadle - 3.41m - Third Team All-ODAC
• 800m - Lucie Graziano - 2:22.43 - Third Team All-ODAC
• Shot Put - Bailey Hedgemon - 11.76m - Third Team All-ODAC

All-Region Returners 

• Olivia Warr | 3,000m & 5,000m
• Sophia Breschi | Mile
• Jesma Evans | 400m
• Camille Gillum | High Jump
• Layla Keadle | Pole Vault
• Sophia Breschi, Jesma Evans, Lucie Graziano | Distance Medley Relay

All-America Returners 

• Olivia Warr | 3,000m - Second Team All-America
• Camille Gillum | High Jump - Second Team All-America

Indoor Top-Ten Lists 

• 60m Dash - Lilly Versen - No. 3 (7.83s)
• 200m Dash - Lilly Versen - No. 6 (26.35s)
• 200m Dash - Jesma Evans - No. 7 (26.38s)
• 400m  - Jesma Evans - Program Record (57.30s)
• 800m - Lucie Graziano - No. 7  (2:20.55)
• 800m - Sophia Breschi - No. 8 (2:20.81)
• Mile - Sophia Breschi - No. 2 (5:00.54)
• 3,000m - Olivia Warr - Program Record (9:38.48)
• 3,000m - Sophia Breschi - No. 4 (10:11.26)
• 5,000m - Olivia Warr - Program Record (17:13.79)
• High Jump - Camille Gillum - Program Record (5'-06.50")
• High Jump - Simone Kasischke - No. 10 (5'-00.25")
• Pole Vault - Layla Keadle - No. 2 (11'-08.00")
• Shot Put - Emily Jackson - Program Record (39'-10.50")
• Shot Put - Bailey Hedgemon - No. 2 (38'-07.00")
• Shot Put - Katie Wood - No. 3 (37'-07.25")
• Shot Put - Bella Timmerding - No. 8 (35'-01.25")
• Weight Throw - Bailey Hedgemon - Program Record (54'-02.25")
• Weight Throw - Bella Timmerding - No. 5 (43'-04.25")
• Weight Throw - Katie Wood - No. 8 (39'-10.25")