2025 Women's Cross Country Season Preview

8/28/2025 2:00:00 PM

LEXINGTON, Va. — Coming off the best national finish in program history, the Washington and Lee University women’s cross country team is set to open the 2025 season on Friday at the Eagles Cross Country Challenge in Bridgewater, Va.

Under 12th-year head coach Mike Dager, the Generals return a large core from last year’s squad that swept the ODAC and South Region titles before racing to an eighth-place team finish at the NCAA Division III Championships. The Blue and White will feature 11 new harriers to round out a 31-runner roster for 2025.

Olivia Warr '26 - XC Nationals - Credit Steve Woltmann

Olivia Warr '27 is pacing with the top pack at the 2024 NCAA DIII National Championships.

USTFCCCA NATIONAL POLL

The Washington and Lee women’s cross country team enters the 2025 season with its highest preseason rankings in program history. The Generals were tabbed No. 1 in the South Region and sit No. 11 in the nation in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) preseason polls.

W&L, the defending South Region champion, returns three of its top-seven runners from last fall, including individual regional champion Olivia Warr and seventh-place finisher Sophia Breschi. The Generals also welcome a strong first-year class, highlighted by three athletes who posted 3200-meter personal bests of 11:20 or faster.

Emory, the 2024 regional runner-up, is ranked second in the region, followed by Lynchburg, Berry, and Shenandoah.

On the national stage, defending NCAA champion MIT begins the season atop the poll for the first time in program history, followed by Williams, UChicago, NYU, and Johns Hopkins in the top five. Washington and Lee earned 188 points for its No. 11 preseason spot after placing eighth at last year’s NCAA Championships under 12th-year head coach Mike Dager.

The 2025 NCAA Division III Championships will be held on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Roger Millikin Cross Country Course in Spartanburg, S.C.NYU is the unanimous favorite to win the national title come November. The Violets return six of seven runners from a squad that finished runner-up at the NCAA Championships last yea and this is the third time in the past two years that NYU has been ranked No. 1 in the National Coaches’ Poll.

National Poll | Regional Poll

Instead of a conference pre-season poll, ODAC Associate Commissioner JJ Nekoloff interviewed two coaches from around the league, including W&L Head Women's cross country Coach Mike Dager, to discuss the outlook for the upcoming season.

2025 ODAC Cross Country Roundtable | ODAC Preview

SCHEDULE PREVIEW

The Washington and Lee women’s cross country team is set to open its 2025 campaign on Friday, August 29, at the Eagles Cross Country Challenge hosted by Bridgewater College. The meet will give the Generals an early look at conference competition as they begin their journey toward another run at the ODAC and NCAA Championships.

With a balanced schedule of regional opportunities and nationally competitive invitationals, the 2025 season is designed to prepare Washington and Lee for another championship push in November.

Regular Season Spotlight

The regular season features a mix of traditional races and high-profile invitationals, giving the Generals the chance to face strong competition both close to home and across the region.

Virginia Tech Invitational – September 5 | Blacksburg, Va.
A local opportunity to see W&L match up against Division I competition at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course.
Dickinson Long/Short Invitational – September 27 | Carlisle, Pa.
A strong midseason test that regularly draws top regional programs from the Mid-Atlantic.
Paul Short Invitational – October 3 | Bethlehem, Pa.
One of the nation’s largest collegiate cross country meets, featuring hundreds of teams and nationally-ranked competition.
Roanoke XC Invitational – October 18 | Salem, Va.
Another chance for local fans to watch the Generals in person, as W&L competes at Green Hill Park in the final tune-up before the ODAC Championships.
The Generals will also compete at the Connecticut College Invitational on October 18 at Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Conn., splitting the squad to maximize competitive opportunities.

Postseason Schedule

W&L begins its championship stretch on Saturday, November 1, at the ODAC Championships hosted by Bridgewater College. From there, the Generals will pursue a spot at the NCAA Championships with the following postseason contests:

ODAC Championships – November 1 | Bridgewater Cross Country Course, Bridgewater, Va.

Note: The ODAC Championship can be followed online on FloCollege.com, a subscription will need to be purchased to watch it. More information about the ODAC's media broadcasting agreement with FloSports can be found, HERE.

NCAA South Regional Championships – November 15 | Green Hill Park, Salem, Va.

NCAA Division III National Championships – November 22 | Roger Milliken Center, Spartanburg, S.C.

Note: All starting times are projected and will be confirmed once host institutions release official timing sheets and starting lists. Check out the full 2025 W&L women's cross country season HERE.

The W&L women's cross country team poses with the 2024 ODAC Trophy.

KEY RETURNERS

The Generals bring back a powerful core of runners who helped deliver a historic 2024 campaign that included an ODAC title, South Region championship, and eighth-place team finish at the NCAA Division III Championships — the best in program history.

Olivia Warr ’27 – The sophomore standout authored one of the greatest seasons in program history last fall. Warr captured ODAC and South Region individual titles, earning both Runner of the Year honors. She then capped her year with a 9th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, becoming just the fifth All-American in program history and tying the second-highest individual national finish by a General. Warr’s consistent pacing and strong closing speed make her one of the top returners in all of Division III.

Sophia Breschi ’26 – A two-time All-ODAC performer, Breschi showed her toughness at every stage of the postseason. She placed 6th at the ODAC Championships, 7th at Regionals, and stormed through the field at Nationals — climbing 113 places during the race — to finish 58th overall. Her ability to surge late in championship races will again be a crucial asset for W&L.

Lydia Harvey ’27 – Harvey emerged as one of the team’s most reliable scorers in 2024. She earned Second Team All-ODAC honors with a 10th-place finish, added a top-20 regional result (19th), and stepped up on the national stage with a 123rd-place finish to secure W&L’s fourth scoring slot. With another year of experience, she is primed for a bigger role this fall.

Together, Warr, Breschi, and Harvey headline a lineup with championship experience at every level. Their leadership and consistency will be key as the Generals look to defend their ODAC and South Region crowns and make another run at the NCAA Championships in Spartanburg, S.C.

Women's Cross Country - South Region Champions 2024

The 2025 Women's Cross Country team claimed the south region's title and automatic bid to the NCAA DIII Championships in 2024.

Senior Sophia Breschi (Red Lion, Pa.) returns as a co-captain after a breakout 2024 season that helped propel the Generals to their best national finish in program history. Breschi earned First Team All-ODAC honors with a sixth-place finish at the conference meet, placed seventh at the NCAA South Regional, and capped the year by surging more than 100 spots mid-race to finish 58th overall at the NCAA Championships.

A consistent presence in W&L’s top three, Breschi has now earned All-Region honors in each of her three seasons and continues to lead by example both on and off the course. A Cognitive and Behavioral Science major, she is a USTFCCCA All-Academic honoree, CSC Academic All-District selection, and a multi-time W&L Scholar-Athlete.

With her combination of championship experience, academic excellence, and leadership, Breschi anchors the Generals’ lineup in her final season as the team looks to defend its ODAC and South Region titles and make another deep run on the national stage.

Senior Brianna Breyault (Arlington, Va.) brings steady leadership and academic excellence to the Generals in her final season. A multi-time W&L Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-ODAC honoree, Breyault has been a consistent contributor at the conference level, highlighted by a 24th-place finish at the 2023 ODAC Championships.

Off the course, Breyault is an Economics and Politics double major who embodies the balance of athletics and academics at W&L. She spent summer 2024 as an intern in Senator Mark Warner’s D.C. office while also coaching with the Arlington Run Club. Her previous experiences include internships with the Alexandria Historic Society and the Travel Technology Association, as well as serving as a peer tutor and mentor in economics.

Breyault’s dedication, both in competition and in the classroom, makes her an invaluable leader for the Generals as the team sets its sights on defending conference and regional titles this fall.

Senior Sarah Clark (Houston, Texas) has been a steady presence in the Generals’ lineup throughout her career and steps into her final season as a team captain. A multi W&L Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-ODAC honoree, Clark has consistently represented the Blue and White at the conference level, highlighted by a 20th-place finish at the 2024 ODAC Championships.

A Cognitive and Behavioral Science and Spanish double major, Clark brings the same dedication to her academics and service as she does to the course. She serves as secretary of the National Marrow Donor Program at W&L, volunteers at a local elementary school, and spent the summer of 2024 interning at the Children’s Assessment Center.

With her championship experience, academic excellence, and commitment to service, Clark provides a strong leadership presence as the Generals pursue another memorable season.

Senior Eve Spencer (West Harrison, N.Y.) brings both consistency on the course and strong leadership off it as she steps into her final season as captain. A three-time ODAC Championships competitor, Spencer has finished inside the top 31 at each of her conference meets and is a multi-year W&L Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-ODAC honoree.

An Engineering major with a Creative Writing minor, Spencer pairs her academic path with hands-on experiences that showcase her versatility. She has completed a range of summer internships, including work as a beach lifeguard for Weekapaug (’22, ’23), a Project Management intern for Consigli Construction (’24), and most recently a Water Planning intern for Plummer Associates (’25). On campus, she serves as Co-President of the Mechanical Design Club.

Before W&L, Spencer was a standout at Hackley School, earning 14 varsity letters across cross country and track, capturing the 2021 Ivy League Championship, and serving as a multi-sport captain.

With her steady performances, academic drive, and leadership across multiple spheres, Spencer is poised to help guide the Generals through another championship season.

Our coaching staff is really excited about the energy coming out of our locker room this preseason.

The returning members of the roster have done a tremendous job welcoming our eleven first years to the program. We’re focused on creating a space where everyone can be successful and supported.

We haven’t talked about specific program goals yet, but it seems everyone wants to find a way to contribute in any way they can. Our annual time trial results were an indication of how hard the group worked over the summer, and after last year's run to nationals, this team isn’t afraid to dream big and chase ambitious goals.

Head Coach Michael Dager