ODAC Championships 2026 Swimming - Generic Picture
Mike Strauss

Relay Sweep Sets the Tone for Generals at ODAC Championships

2/11/2026 9:23:00 PM

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Washington and Lee opened the 2026 ODAC Swimming Championships in record-setting fashion on Wednesday night, sweeping the men's and women's 800-yard freestyle relays to kick off the four-day meet.

The Generals' men's quartet of Dalton Jobe, Leighton Chapman, Charles Byars and Thomas Denton touched the wall in 6:34.71, shaving nearly 12 seconds off their seed time (6:46.60) to claim the conference title in the opening event. W&L built separation throughout the race, highlighted by strong middle legs from Chapman and Byars before Denton closed the door on the field.

On the women's side, the team of Gabby Clemens, Maria Jellig, Celia Bredehoeft and Marcy Mortimer secured gold with a time of 7:43.84, improving on their seed mark of 7:51.72. The Generals posted consistent splits across all four legs, with Jellig and Mortimer delivering key efforts to solidify the win.

With two events contested on the opening night, Washington and Lee claimed both relay titles to set the tone for the remainder of the championship meet.

Up Next: The ODAC Championships continue Thursday with preliminaries beginning at 10 a.m., featuring the 500 freestyle, 200 individual medley and 50 freestyle. Finals are scheduled for 6 p.m., highlighted by the 200 freestyle relay, championship finals in the individual events and the 400 medley relay to close the evening session.
 

W&L Event Winners

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.
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