BC on Hornets' Heels, W&L Follows Up Maroons

SALEM, Va. --- Both of last season's Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) indoor track and field champions return solid squads this winter, leading to early predictions of a pair of back-to-back titles.  Lynchburg College, the 2006 men's champion, and last year's women's title winner, Roanoke College, earned top billing in the annual ODAC Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Polls.  The Hornets picked up four first place votes among the men's coaches while the Maroons garnered all six top tallies for the women.

Bridgewater College earned the remaining men's first place votes.  More telling of the competition, the Eagles trail Lynchburg by only one overall vote (33-32) in the coaches' prognostications.  On the women's side, Washington & Lee University is picked to finish second, earning an even 30 votes.

Lynchburg, winner of 20 ODAC titles including the previous nine and 15 of the last 16, topped the final standings of last season's meet in commanding fashion with 208.5 points.  The Hornets welcome a pair of 30-point scorers from the ODAC indoor championships.  Senior Ryan Holmes, the reigning Athlete of the Year, is joined by Rookie of the Year winner, Chris Martin, to form arguably the top tandem in the league.  Holmes claimed victories in the 55-meter hurdles, long jump, and triple jump.  Martin picked up a trio of second place finishes in the 55-meter dash, high jump, and triple jump, and added a third place showing in the long jump.

Bridgewater returns one individual champion from last season in 55-meter dash winner Melvin Queen.  Jeff Tolley also looks to return in form after placing second in the 55-meter hurdles.  The Eagles also won the men's distance medley relay last season.

On the women's side, Roanoke out-paced a strong Washington & Lee squad to win last year's title, 158-106.  Sophomore Tonya Phillippe, Meredith Whithers, and junior Cassandra Williams return to the track after scoring 29, 22, and 16 points, respectively.  Phillippe won both the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes, and leapt to a second place finish in the long jump.  Whithers finished second in the 55-meter hurdles and the high jump and added a third place performance in the long jump.  Williams picked up a victory while tying the meet record in the 55-meter dash (7.36 sec.) and finished third in the 200-meter dash.

Washington & Lee welcomes back Athlete and Freshman of the Year, Stacy Doornbos.  The Generals' standout scored 44 points in the final meet, earning a pair of victories in the high and triple jumps.  She also placed second in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes.

Listed below are both the 2006 ODAC Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Polls.  For more information on the teams, visit the individual school web pages or the ODAC at www.odaconline.com.

2006 Men's Indoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
(#) indicates first place votes 

2006 Women's Indoor Track and Field Preseason Poll
(#) indicates first place votes