LC Men, WLU Women Win ODAC Titles

Host VWC Runner Up on Men's Side, Roanoke for Women

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. --- Lynchburg College and Washington and Lee University split the ODAC Cross Country Championship races on Saturday at Virginia Beach.  The Hornets' came out on top in the men's 8K race while the Generals' earned #1 billing through the women's 6K race.  Lynchburg's Ricky Flynn earned his second straight individual men's title, earning him the ODAC Men's Runner of the Year award.  Washington and Lee's Jessica Shaw was tabbed the ODAC Women's Runner of the Year after earning her first individual crown.

The top 14 finishers for both the men and women earn All-ODAC honors.  The first seven receive All-ODAC First Team accolades while the second seven garner All-ODAC Second Team awards.

The Lynchburg men's squad finished just two points better than host, Virginia Wesleyan College.  Aside from Flynn's winning time (24:56.35), Patrick Jacobs (25:46.10; 6^th), Rich Apgar (26:19.05; 13^th), Brandon Demers (26:21.10; 14^th) and Lawrence Minor (26:23.75; 16^th) posted qualifying times.  The Marlins were paced by a seventh place finish from Sean Whitson (25:48.45).  VWC's Robert Aaron (25:55.70; 9^th), David Kidd (26:03.90; 10^th) and Evan Ashby (26:10.40; 11^th) earned All-ODAC honors.

Other notable individual men's times include Bridgewater's Nathan Rittenhouse (25:28.10; 2^nd) and Brandon Spalding (25:34.20; 4^th), Roanoke's Ian Robinson (26:14.75; 12^th), and Washington and Lee's Vance Berry (25:44.40; 5^th) and John Ivy (25:54.15; 8^th).

Washington and Lee's contingent ran away with the women's race, earning seven All-ODAC awards including four first team honors and five top-10 finishes.  Shaw and her winning time of 21:41.75 was joined on the All-ODAC teams by Elizabeth Webb (21:54.75; 2^nd), Becca Taylor (22:26.00; 4^th), Dorothy Todd (22:52.10; 7^th), Kat Telfeyan (23:06.35; 9^th), Katherine Fenwick (23:22.80; 11^th) and Christine Balistreri (23:32.10; 14^th).

Other notable women's times including Lynchburg's Ashley Meyer (22:12.90; 3^rd), Jennie Pernisi (22:42.75; 5^th) and Megan Donnelly (23:29.00; 13^th), Roanoke's Liz Mumaw (22:49.30; 6^th), Erin Gollery (22:59.35; 8^th) and Maggie Moore (23:27.85; 12^th), and Virginia Wesleyan's Ashley Roane (23:10.10; 10^th).

Lynchburg's Dr. Jack Toms and Virginia Wesleyan's Mat Littleton were tabbed as the men's Co-Coaches of the Year.  Washington and Lee's Kris Hoey was named the women's Coach of the Year.  The award is the 63^rd overall for Dr. Toms between track and cross country.  It is the first of any kind for Littleton.  Hoey's recognition is her fifth straight in the women's ranks.

Virginia Wesleyan earned both Rookie of the Year awards.  Whitson earned the honor on the men's side while Kelly Fauth garnered the women's honor by finishing 16^th overall (23:40.80).

A pair of Generals took home the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete Awards.  In a vote of the league's sports information directors, Michael Welsh and Becca Taylor were tagged with the honors.  Welsh maintains a 3.687 grade point average as a senior chemistry major.  Taylor, who adds this scholar-athlete award to those won in 2006 and 2007, boasts a 4.060 GPA as an economics major.

List below are the 2008 All-ODAC Men's and Women's Cross Country teams.  For more information, visit the ODAC on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

2008 ALL-ODAC CROSS COUNTRY TEAMS