SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The No. 18 Washington and Lee men's cross country team turned in one of its strongest performances of the season on Saturday, placing third at the NCAA Division III Pre-Nationals in Spartanburg, S.C. The Generals scored 82 points to finish behind only No. 6 North Central (59) and No. 17 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (63), while holding off No. 27 Case Western (121) on the site of the 2025 nationals championships.
The Generals countered with a tight front pack that featured three top-10 finishers. Sophomore Sam Daunt led the way in fifth place at 24:49.7, followed by junior William Dunaway in seventh (25:05.6). Junior Robert Cooper made his season debut in impressive fashion, taking 10th in 25:15.0. Sophomore Raja Mehendale added a 25th-place finish (25:41.0), while Jackson Kodenski closed the scoring five in 35th (25:58.9). W&L's top five combined for a total time of 2:06:50 with just a 1:09 spread.
Junior Thomas Franklin (47th, 26:27.0) and first-year Andrew Carroll (53rd, 26:51.3) rounded out the Generals' top seven.
North Central claimed the team title behind a one-two finish from BJ Sorg (24:29.5) and Oscar Frontjes (24:33.1), while Claremont-Mudd-Scripps junior Hayden Beauchemin (24:46.9) and Case Western's Jacob Slater (24:48.7) rounded out the top four.
Team Results
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No. 6 North Central (Ill.) – 59
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No. 17 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps – 63
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No. 18 Washington and Lee – 82
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No. 27 Case Western – 121
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Pfeiffer – 156
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Colby – 161
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Vassar – 198
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Berry – 199
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Centre – 224
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Oglethorpe – 246
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St. Vincent (Pa.) – 317
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Illinois Wesleyan – 345
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Warren Wilson – 425
W&L Top Seven
Additional W&L Competitors
Up Next: The Generals return to action at the Hornet Harrier on September 27 in Winchester, Va. Shenandoah University will host the men's race at 10:45 at the Kernstown Battlefield.
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.
