LEXINGTON, Va. — The Washington and Lee men’s cross country team enters the 2025 season ranked No. 1 in the South Region and No. 14 nationally in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason polls — the highest preseason rankings in program history.

The Generals, under 13th-year head coach Brandon Spalding, return six of their top seven runners from last season and six newcomers to buff out the Generals' roster at 22 harriers this year. W&L opens the season Friday, Aug. 29, at the Upstate Eye Opener in Spartanburg, S.C.

USTFCCCA NATIONAL POLL

The Washington and Lee men’s cross country team is ranked No. 1 in the South Region in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association preseason poll, marking the first time in program history the Generals have opened a season at the top spot.

W&L, which climbed as high as No. 2 in the past four years, returns six of its top seven runners from last season, including standouts Keaton Rush and Robert Cooper. The Generals are projected as the region’s automatic qualifier, followed by No. 2 Lynchburg, last year’s South Region champion. The Hornets enter the fall after graduating national champions Sam Llaneza and Tor Hotung-Davidson, while also losing record-holder Chasen Hunt to Division I North Carolina. Emory (No. 3), Pfeiffer (No. 4) and Berry (No. 5) round out the top five regional programs.

Nationally, defending champion UW-La Crosse begins the year where it ended 2024 – at No. 1. The Eagles return six of seven runners from last year’s squad, including four All-Americans, and were a unanimous choice for the top spot. Wartburg follows at No. 2, matching its best preseason ranking in program history, while SUNY Geneseo opens at No. 3, its highest since 2017. Johns Hopkins enters at No. 4, the best ranking in program history, and Pomona-Pitzer is fifth.

Washington and Lee is ranked No. 14 in the national poll, the program's highest preseason ranking in program history, with 170 points after finishing 21st at the 2024 NCAA Championships. The 2025 NCAA Division III Championships will be held on Saturday, Nov. 22, at the Roger Millikin Cross Country Course in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

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 

2025 Schedule Preview 

The Washington and Lee men’s cross country team is set for an exciting 2025 campaign that will take the Generals across the region and onto the national stage. With a mix of challenging invitationals, regional showdowns, and championship races, this fall offers plenty of opportunities for fans to follow the Blue and White.

Early Season Spotlight

The Generals open the season on Friday, August 29, at the Eye Opener in Spartanburg, S.C. (7 p.m.) at the Miliken Research Center. This meet serves as a first test of the year and an early chance to preview the course that will host the NCAA DIII Cross Country Championships in November.

That same venue will again be in the spotlight on Saturday, September 20, when W&L competes in the NCAA Division III National Preview (9 a.m.). This meet gives the Generals valuable experience on the national championship course against some of the nation’s top competition and a chance to find out how the 2025 squad can stack up against the national competition.

Regular Season Opportunities to Cheer in Person

The four remaining regular season meets bring the Generals within reach for regional fans this fall the cheer on the Generals in person.

Saturday, September 27 – Hornet Harrier (10:45 a.m.) at Kernstown Battlefield in Winchester, Va.

Friday, October 3 – Paul Short Run Invitational (Noon) at Goodman Campus Cross Country Course in Bethlehem, Pa.

Friday, October 10 – Royals Cross Country Challenge (5 p.m.) at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C.

Saturday, October 18 – Roanoke XC Invitational (11:30 a.m.) at Green Hill Park in Salem, Va.

These meets provide a perfect chance to see the Generals compete closer to home ahead of championship season.

Championship Postseason

The postseason begins on Saturday, November 1, with the ODAC Cross Country Championships (10 a.m.) hosted by Bridgewater College. The Generals will look to contend for the conference crown against familiar rivals. 

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. 

Two weeks later, W&L returns to Green Hill Park in Salem, Va., for the NCAA South Region Championships (Saturday, November 15, 11 a.m.). A strong team finish there will earn the Generals a berth at nationals.

The season culminates back in Spartanburg on Saturday, November 22, when the NCAA Division III National Championships (11 a.m.) return to the Miliken Research Center. Having already run the course twice in 2025, W&L will be well prepared for the biggest stage of the season.

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 men's cross country season HERE.

KEY RETURNERS

With six NCAA returners, three All-ODAC selections, and six All-Region honorees back in uniform, W&L boasts a lineup that blends top-end talent with the depth needed to challenge on both the conference and national stage.

Robert Cooper ’27 – W&L’s top finisher at nationals, Cooper placed 51st overall (40 points) in 24:53.0 after surging through the field. He was also 6th at the South Region Championships and earned both All-Region and First Team All-ODAC honors.

Keaton Rush ’26 – The senior captain led W&L throughout the postseason, finishing 4th at the South Region Championships and 5th at ODACs, where he was named ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He capped the year with a 75th-place finish at nationals (25:01.8) and collected All-Region and First Team All-ODAC honors.

Thomas Franklin ’27 – A key sophomore contributor, Franklin earned All-Region honors after placing inside the top-35 at the South Regional. He also claimed Second Team All-ODAC recognition with a 9th-place finish at the conference meet. At nationals, he finished 227th in 25:58.1, gaining 19 spots over the final 2K.

Jackson Kodenski ’27 – Consistent throughout the postseason, Kodenski was an All-Region finisher and placed 16th at the ODAC Championships. He capped his season with a 228th-place finish at nationals (25:58.2) after steadily climbing through the pack.

William Dunaway ’27 – One of the team’s standout rookie on the cross country course, Dunaway earned All-Region honors with a top-35 finish at the South Regional. He also placed 26th at the ODAC meet before gaining national experience with a 26:39 at his first NCAA Championship.

Raja Mehendale ’28 – A first-year who made the postseason roster, Mehendale placed 18th at ODACs (25:45.2) and finished his first nationals in 26:59.5. His development adds key depth to the Generals’ lineup.

Colin Verrett ’26 – Just missing All-ODAC recognition last fall, Verrett placed 15th at the conference meet in 25:33.7. His performance helped W&L post a 36-second spread across its top seven runners at ODACs, underlining his value as a reliable scorer heading into 2025.

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