Roanoke Women, Lynchburg Men Win ODAC Track Championships

BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Roanoke College won the women’s championship and Lynchburg College claimed the men’s title Saturday at the 2010 ODAC Track & Field Championships hosted by Bridgewater College.

Both teams won the titles by comfortable margins.

The Roanoke women pulled away Saturday, finishing with 205 points to easily outdistance Lynchburg College with 154.5 points. Bridgewater College placed third with 110 points followed by Washington and Lee (89), Virginia Wesleyan (14.5), Eastern Mennonite (12) and Guilford (2). The outdoor title was the fifth straight for the Maroons.

The Lynchburg men took command of the meet during Friday’s competition and were never challenged. The Hornets finished with 225 points. well ahead of second place Bridgewater with 102. Virginia Wesleyan with 77 points edged Roanoke for third place. The Maroons finished with 71.5 points. W&L placed fifth with 54.5 points followed by Eastern Mennonite with 30 points and Guilford with 29. The title was the second straight for the Hornets and their 12th in the past 13 seasons.

Dr. Jack Toms was named the ODAC Men’s Coach of the Year and Roanoke’s Finn Pincus was selected ODAC Women’s Coach of the Year.

The outstanding performers of the meet were Roanoke’s Robin Yerkes and Lynchburg’s Dan Reid. Washington and Lee’s Lauren Schultz was named the ODAC Women’s Track and Field Freshman of the Year award while Lynchburg’s Dakota Pellman claimed the ODAC Men’s Freshman of the Year honor.

Also recognized Saturday were the recipients of the ODAC Track & Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award presented by Farm Bureau Insurance. Claiming the women’s award was Bridgewater College’s Christina Rhodes while Roanoke’s Jamison Monahan took the men’s honor.

Several ODAC meet records were set Saturday, mainly be the women competitors.  New records were set in all three women’s sprints. Roanoke’s Jaleesa Osborne set a new mark in the 100 with a time of 11.98 seconds while her teammate Yerkes set new marks in both the 200 and 400 meters.  She won the 200 with a time of 24.72 and the 400 with a 56.16 clocking.

Washington and Lee’s Natalie Stier set a new mark in the 400 hurdles, winning with a time of 1:04.45 and Bridgewater’s Christina Rhodes set a new record in the pole vault, clearing 12 feet, 4.5 inches. 

Saturday’s winners in the field events included Lynchburg’s Krystle Landes in the javelin, Bridgewater’s Katie Cummings in the discus and Roanoke’s Carmen Graves in the triple jump. Washington and Lee’s Kat Telfeyan won both the 1500 and 5000 events while Bridgewater’s Morgan Keplinger won the 800 and Roanoke’s Meagan Tolley took first in the 100 hurdles.

There was one new record set in men’s competition when Roanoke’s Andy Nagel won the 400 hurdles with a time of 53.89. Nagel also won the 110 high hurdles.

Bridgewater took first in the two short sprints with Tyler Beiler winning the 100 and Julius Delbridge taking first in the 200. Pellman edged teammate Sam Steinke to win the 400.

Virginia Wesleyan’s Seth Cunningham placed first in the 800 while the distance events were won by Lynchburg’s Ricky Flynn in the 1500 and Guilford’s Derick Kosgei in the 5000.

Winners during Saturday’s field events included Washington and Lee’s Dylan Mills in the javelin and Bridgewater’s Thomas Bell in the discus. Lynchburg’s Joe Oliveri won the pole vault competition and Bridgewater’s Leigh Bradley won the triple jump.