SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Eight members of the No. 14 Washington and Lee men's cross country team opened the 2025 season against a Division I-heavy field at the Upstate Eye Opener on Friday evening, placing seventh overall with 224 points. The Generals were the highest finishing non-Division I program outside of nationally-ranked Hope and NYU in a meet dominated by Furman.
The Paladins swept the top six spots, led by sophomore Christopher Knight's winning 8k time of 24:45.0, as Furman cruised to the team title with just 15 points. Clemson was second with 57 points, followed by No. 23 Hope (83) and No. 12 NYU (97).
W&L kept its pack tight throughout the race, with just 1:12 separating its five scorers. Sophomore Raja Mehendale led the Generals in 54th place overall with a time of 26:39.7, followed by rookies Hall Wildman (62nd, 27:06.8), Kaden Rife (66th, 27:17.0), and Andrew Carroll (71st, 27:37.2). Junior William Fitch (74th, 27:52.6) and sophomores Davis Amare (75th, 27:54.0) and Will DeLoach (80th, 28:15.6) rounded out the scoring seven.
The Generals travel to the Virginia Tech Invitational on Friday, September 5, at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course in Blacksburg, Va. The men's 6k race is set for 6:30 p.m.
Team Results
- No. 30 Furman – 15
- Clemson – 57
- No. 23 Hope (DIII) – 83
- No. 12 NYU (DIII) – 97
- East Tennessee State – 141
- USC Upstate – 170
- No. 14 Washington and Lee (DIII) – 224
- Winthrop – 263
- Walters State CC – 301
- Wofford – 302
- Bob Jones – 315
- Brevard (DIII) – 364
- Warren Wilson (DIII) – 382
W&L Results
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.
