W&L Collects 11 First Place Votes

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University enters the 2016 season as the favorite to repeat as conference champions as the Generals collected 11 first place votes towards 121 total points to lead the ODAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll.  Bridgewater College sits in second with 104 tallies, while Roanoke College follows closely behind in third having earned 100 points including the remaining first place vote.

The 2015 ODAC Championships saw four schools separate from the pack at the top of the standings, with Washington and Lee securing a chart-topping 46 points powered by four All-ODAC performances.  Just 12 points separted Bridgewater (64), Eastern Mennonite University (70) and Roanoke (76) in the final standings.  EMU's Hannah Chappell-Dick kicked off a cross country and track & field awards season second-to-none by claiming the individual crown in 22:21.9, with W&L's Samantha Yates (22:30.1) stopping the watches second following six-kilometers of competition.

That duo along with fellow General Maggie Seybold and EMU's Kat Lehman would use the South/Southeast Regional two weeks later as a jumping-off point for the NCAA Division III Championships.  Chappell-Dick finished second at the regional in 22:15.5, with Seybold and Yates chiming in sixth and seventh in 22:42.7 and 22:43.3.  Lehman placed ninth at 22:49.1.

At the national meet in Oshkosh, Wis., Chappell-Dick turned in a 17th place (21.38.5) performance to collect All-American honors.  She would go on to earn All-America status in both indoor and outdoor track & field, as well as receiving the Marjorie Berkley Award as the ODAC's top female student-athlete.  Seybold and Yates didn't stray far from each other despite the large 280-woman field. Seybold finished 149th in 22:39.7, while Yates' time of 22:42.2 ranked 155th. Lehman capped her second straight national appearance in 230th position at 23:13.0.

The 2016 season not only brings forth the fresh perspective that comes with a new campaign, but the conference ranks increase by two with a pair of new programs beginning competition.  Hollins University and Sweet Briar College both embark on their first cross country seasons, bringing the sport's sponsorship to 12 competing teams.  Jenny Logan and Brian Kastner will lead the HU program as co-head coaches, while Megan Behrle holds the reins of the Vixens' harriers.

Eight standouts from the 2015 All-ODAC Teams return to courses across the league with four of those donning Washington and Lee colors.  Seybold and Yates return after picking up All-ODAC First Team laurels.  They'll be joined by All-ODAC Second Team finishers Lily Arnold and Rachel Steffen.  Roanoke features a trio of all-league returners, led by first teamer Kerri Dalton.  Caity Ashley and Claire Brooks finished eighth and ninth at the conference championships to secure second team recognition.  The remaining All-ODAC returnee is EMU's Lehman as she goes in search of a third straight entry into the NCAA championships.

The 2016 campaign begins with a series of events on Thursday, September 1.  The ODAC Preview will be hosted by eventual conference championship-host Washington and Lee on Friday, September 9.

Listed below is the 2016 ODAC Women's Cross Country Preseason Poll as well as preview capsules for each of the ODAC women's cross country programs (excluding Hollins and Sweet Briar).  For more information on ODAC women's cross country, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, 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 follow @odacathletics on Twitter.

2016 Poll Position: 2nd Head Coach: Brian Flynn 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 2nd (64 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Kaylee Kubisiak - 22:37.3 (3rd) 2015 Regionals Finish: 7th (230 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Kaylee Kubisiak - 23:18.2 (21st) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: None   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Did not compete at distance   6K Course: Erin Quinn - 25:13.00 (AAE Invite.)		2016 Poll Position: 9th Head Coach: Bill Cooper 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 10th (265 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Danielle Hill - 26:43.7 (46th) 2015 Regionals Finish: Did Not Compete 2015 Regionals Top Time: None 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: None   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Taylor Rama - 21:44.20 (adidas xc challenge)   6K Course: Taylor Rama - 26:04.60 (Region Preview)
2016 Poll Position: 4th Head Coach: Isaac Bryan 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 3rd (70 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Hannah Chappell-Dick - 22:21.9 (1st) 2015 Regionals Finish: 6th (210 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Hannah Chappell-Dick - 22:15.5 (2nd) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: Hannah Chappell-Dick - 21:38.5 (17th); Kat Lehman - 23:13.0 (230th) Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: Kat Lehman   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Kat Lehman - 19:46.60 (Commonwealth Challenge)   6K Course: Kat Lehman - 22:49.1 (Region Champs)		2016 Poll Position: 3rd Head Coach: Kirk Nauman 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 4th (76 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Kerri Dalton - 23:05.9 (5th) 2015 Regionals Finish: 8th (235 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Kerri Dalton - 23:10.1 (20th) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: Kerri Dalton   Second Team: Caity Ashley, Claire Brooks Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Kerri Dalton - 19:05.50 (Royals XC Challenge)   6K Course: Kerri Dalton - 23:05.90 (ODAC Champs)
2016 Poll Position: 10th Head Coach: Ian Layne 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 9th (235 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Meg Greene - 26:13.1 (43rd) 2015 Regionals Finish: 24th (673 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Meg Greene - 25:13.6 (95th) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: None   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Elizabeth Wilson - 22:11.70 (Greensboro Inv.)   6K Course: Kayla Mulkey - 25:30.20 (Salisbury Classic)		2016 Poll Position: 7th Head Coach: Andy Marrocco 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 7th (190 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Shelby Shrader - 24:34.9 (17th) 2015 Regionals Finish: 23rd (662 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Shelby Shrader - 24:24.2 (54th) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: None   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Shelby Shrader - 19:52.00 (Commonwealth Challenge)   6K Course: Shelby Shrader - 23:29.60 (Salisbury Classic)
2016 Poll Position: 8th Head Coach: Danny Cash 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 8th (196 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Rebecca Reyna - 24:33.8 (16th) 2015 Regionals Finish: 20th (594 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Sommer Fanney - 24:23.6 (53rd) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: None   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Sommer Fanney - 21:02.90 (Coast Carolina Inv.)   6K Course: Sommer Fanney - 24:23.60 (Region Champs)		2016 Poll Position: 6th Head Coach: Krista Littleton 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 6th (166 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Shakiella Daniel - 24:51.9 (22nd) 2015 Regionals Finish: 14th (436 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Marissa Coombs - 23:22.9 (22nd) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: None   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Kyla Edwards-Henderson - 22:51.00 (WildCat Inv.)   6K Course: Marissa Coombs - 23:22.9 (Region Champs)
2016 Poll Position: 5th Head Coach: Jim Sprecher 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 5th (164 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Mary Deis - 24:50.5 (21st) 2015 Regionals Finish: No team score 2015 Regionals Top Time: Morgan Alvis - 24:27.0 (56th) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: None   Second Team: None Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Morgan Alvis - 20:21.30 (Royals XC Challenge)   6K Course: Morgan Alvis - 24:27.0 (Region Champs)		2016 Poll Position: 1st Head Coach: Michael Dager 2015 ODAC Champs Finish: 1st (46 pts.) 2015 ODAC Champs Top Time: Samantha Yates - 22:30.1 (2nd) 2015 Regionals Finish: 3rd (121 pts.) 2015 Regionals Top Time: Margaret Seybold - 22:42.7 (6th) 2015 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: Margaret Seybold - 22:39.7 (149th); Samantha Yates - 22:42.2 (155th) Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS   First Team: Maggie Seybold, Samantha Yates   Second Team: Lily Arnold, Rachel Steffen Top Returners by Time   5K Course: Samantha Yates - 18:45.20 (CMU Inv.)   6K Course: Samantha Yates - 22:30.1 (ODAC Champs)