FOREST, Va. --- The ODAC's second-youngest sport announces its first coaches poll as women's golf opens its eighth spring campaign under the conference's banner. Two-time defending champion Washington and Lee University earns top-billing in the inaugural coaches' survey, picking up 54 points including nine first place votes. Bridgewater College sits second with 45 tallies and the remaining top nod, and the University of Lynchburg rounds out the top-three with 39 markers.

Benchmarking the conference's women's golf programs is a bit different than other league sports. Six of the 10 programs that sponsor women's golf are expected to field full squads towards team positioning at the ODAC Women's Golf Championships in April. Those squads are slotted in the first poll. The remaining four programs will feature anywhere from one to three players, falling short of the four required for team score eligibility.

Success has come quick for ODAC women's golf, highlighted by 2017 NCAA individual champion Christina Herbert, who following a multi All-American playing career at Bridgewater College is on staff with head coach Mike Veverka in launching Lynchburg's first women's team this past fall. While Herbert's title stands as the conference's highlight achievement, several other individuals have shined. Additionally, Washington and Lee has sent its full squad to the national championships each of the past two years. After missing out on the final round in 2018, the Generals rallied to tie for 11th at least season's final event. Laurie Jones led the way in a tie for 28th at xxx-over par 313 (75-82-79-77).

W&L's national tournament run came after a dominating 2019 ODAC championship that saw the Generals win by 78 strokes over Shenandoah University. The Generals carded rounds of 317, 327, and 314 on the way to an 82-over 958.

W&L's Jones and Beth Ann Townsend tied atop the player leaderboard at 14-over 233 following three rounds at Bryan Park just outside Greensboro, N.C. Jones, the ODAC Player of the Year, claimed the individual medal after topping Townsend on the first playoff hole (#9). Townsend did not leave the course without earning a special individual honor as she was tabbed the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

RELATED: 2019 Fall Statistics | 2019 ODAC Championship Results | 2019 NCAA Championship Results

The fall season gave us a good glimpse into what to expect this spring with Washington and Lee and Bridgewater continuing their strong run at the top and Lynchburg exceeding expectations in its first varsity campaign. In fact, Hornets' first-year Lily Self enters the spring as the leader in scoring average (76.6) with the Generals' Megan Kanaby (77.2) and Laurie Jones (77.8) on her heels. Maddie Cody (79.9) gives Self a teammate in the top-four.

Washington and Lee's strength is evident with Townsend (80.3) and Griffin Foultz (81.0) joining Kanaby and Jones as four of the top-six players in the conference based on per round scoring average. The Generals are currently slotted 13th in NCAA Division III by Golfstat.com's computer ratings. W&L took part in three highly competitive tournaments this fall -- NCAA Division III Preview, MCC Women's Intercollegiate, CMU Tartan Invitational -- and placed fourth in each. Kanaby and Jones each posted a top-three finish with Kanaby adding a second top-10 showing.

Bridgewater also enjoyed team success in winning the Knights Invitational as well as the Wasps Invitational hosted by Emory & Henry College. Jesse Bartley (81.6), Savannah Scott (82.1), and Heather Donnelly (85.8) each posted top-five finishes with Scott topping the Knights Invitational field.

After Washington and Lee, the ODAC's six teams rank as follows according to Golfstat: Bridgewater (73rd), Lynchburg (106th), Shenandoah (115th), Randolph-Macon College (131st). Sweet Briar College did not post enough team rounds to qualify for a ranking, but that should change with a busier spring slate. Ferrum College, which fielded a full squad in the fall, was ranked 168th.

When it comes to Golfstat player rankings, Kanaby and Jones are the ODAC's top-rated individuals in 12th and 16th positions, respectively. Townsend makes it three Generals inside the top-65 in 63rd position. Despite placing first in three events and inside the top-five in two others, Lynchburg's Self is ranked 144th to cap the ODAC's contingent inside the nation's top-150 ranked players.

ODAC rosters feature all but three of last season's All-ODAC honorees. Foultz, Jones, and Townsend were each All-ODAC First Team picks a season ago. Bartley and W&L's Savannah Johnson, who doubled as the ODAC Rookie of the Year, were All-ODAC Second Team choices. Shenandoah's Natalie Hill and Virginia Wesleyan University's Maggie Kingora were All-ODAC Third Team selections.

RELATED: 2019 All-ODAC Awards | Golfstat Team Rankings | Golfstat Individual Rankings

Play for conference teams opened this past week as the conference's 10 programs begin a varied slate of events prior to the conference tournament. The ODAC Championships return to Stoney Creek Golf Course at Wintergreen Resort on April 19-21 for three rounds of action on its 27 championship holes.

Listed below is the complete 2020 ODAC Women's Golf Coaches' Poll. For more information on ODAC women's golf, visit any of the participating school's websites, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and followed @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.