Generals Receive 10 First Place Votes
FOREST, Va. --- Two-time defending ODAC champion Washington and Lee University was picked as the favorite entering the 2017 season as the Generals received 10 first place votes towards 100 total points to lead the ODAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll. Bridgewater College follows close behind with 90 tallies and the remaining top consideration, while Lynchburg College rounds out the top-three in the annual coaches' survey with 81 points.
Unlike its two-point victory in 2015, Washington and Lee ran away with the 2016 ODAC title after accumulating just 32 points to far outpace second place Lynchburg (63) following an 8K run at Vista Links Golf Course in Buena Vista, Va. Four Generals earned All-ODAC honors with Mac Strehler (26:07.2) and Mackenzye Leroy (26:25.5) finishing 1-2. Ian McDonald (26:33.8) joined them on the All-ODAC First Team in sixth position, while Cooper Baird (26:41.5) chimed in just outside the top-seven to earn All-ODAC Second Team laurels.
Success continued for ODAC runners at the South/Southeast Regional Championships hosted by Berry College. Washington and Lee punched its ticket to the NCAA Division III Championships with a second-place team showing. Strehler again powered the effort by placing third overall (25:27.9). Three individuals also earned NCAA entry with strong regional runs. LC's Josh Shaw (8th - 26:00.9) and Drew Smith (16th - 26:08.1) were joined by Bridgewater's Jamie Hiegel (14th - 26:00.9), bringing the conference's full national-field representation to 10 runners when combined with W&L's squad.
Hiegel turned in a personal-record performance in Louisville, Ky., in the Division III championships, leading the ODAC's contingent with a 59th-place showing (25:11.0). Smith (203rd - 26:09.3) and Shaw (215th - 26:18.6) also produced solid performances. Washington and Lee capped its banner season in 27th position with Strehler (92nd - 25:21.6) leading the way.
There is plenty of room for returning talent and newcomers alike to make noise in 2017 with less than half of the all-conference field back for another go. Leroy and Baird look to lead reigning ODAC Coach of the Year Brandon Spalding's Washington and Lee squad to a third straight league crown. Hiegel has Bridgewater poised for a return to the top of the league, second teamer Tristan Lucy-Speidel (10th - 26:57.1.) looks to do the same for Lynchburg. Kevin Waterman (14th - 27:07.8) is the remaining All-ODAC returner as he looks to help Roanoke College push up the league standings after a second team showing in 2016.
The 2017 season begins with a series of events on Friday, September 1. The ODAC Preview will be hosted by eventual conference championship-host Virginia Wesleyan University that same afternoon. The conference championships will be Saturday, October 28.
Listed below is the 2017 ODAC Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll as well as preview capsules for each of the ODAC men's cross country programs. For more information on ODAC men'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 and Instagram.
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2017 Poll Position: 2nd Head Coach: Brian Flynn 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 3rd (69 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Jamie Hiegel - 26:27.1 (3rd) 2016 Regionals Finish: 7th (232 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Jamie Hiegel - 26:00.9 (14th) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: Jamie Hiegel - 25:11.0 (59th) Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: Jamie Hiegel Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Jamie Hiegel - 19:51.0 (Hornet Harrier) 8K Course: Jamie Hiegel - 25:11.0 (NCAA Champs) |
2017 Poll Position: 9th Head Coach: Bill Cooper 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: No team score 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Alex Clem - 29:08.3 (57th) 2016 Regionals Finish: No team score 2016 Regionals Top Time: Alex Clem - 28:06.3 (91st) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Did not compete at this distance 8K Course: Alex Clem - 27:56.0 (Gettysburg) |
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2017 Poll Position: 4th Head Coach: Hannah Chappell-Dick 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 4th (94 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Alec Thibodeaux - 26:58.4 (11th) 2016 Regionals Finish: 11th (323 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Alec Thibodeaux - 26:28.5 (25th) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Steven Ahnold - 21:13.0 (Galen Piper) 8K Course: Steven Ahnold - 26:05.5 (Paul Short) |
2017 Poll Position: 5th Head Coach: Kirk Nauman 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 5th (115 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Kevin Waterman - 27:07.8 (14th) 2016 Regionals Finish: 13th (375 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Howard Daniels - 27:15.5 (47th) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: Kevin Waterman Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Did not compete at this distance 8K Course: Howard Daniels - 26:55.3 (Gettysburg) |
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2017 Poll Position: 8th Head Coach: Ian Layne 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 8th (209 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Austin Tolbert - 28:02.4 (31st) 2016 Regionals Finish: 25th (701 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Austin Tolbert - 28:11.6 (97th) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Did not compete at this distance 8K Course: Austin Tolbert - 28:02.4 (ODAC Champs) |
2017 Poll Position: 6th Head Coach: Andy Marrocco 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 7th (204 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Ray Parsons - 28:02.7 (32nd) 2016 Regionals Finish: Did not compete 2016 Regionals Top Time: N/A 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Justin Mehrer - 20:09.50 (Hornet Harrier) 8K Course: Justin Mehrer - 26:54.5 (Mike Woods) |
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2017 Poll Position: 9th Head Coach: Danny Cash 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 10th (294 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Caleb Amstutz - 29:44.0 (67th) 2016 Regionals Finish: 29th (829 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Caleb Amstutz - 28:48.0 (134th) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Did not compete at this distance 8K Course: Caleb Amstutz - 28:48.0 (Regionals) |
2017 Poll Position: 7th Head Coach: Mat Littleton 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 6th (192 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Trevor Maloney - 26:49.3 (9th) 2016 Regionals Finish: 16th (505 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Trevor Maloney - 26:40.5 (32nd) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Did not compete at this distance 8K Course: Trevor Cerone - 27:39.9 (Regionals) |
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2017 Poll Position: 11th Head Coach: Betsy Leonard 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 9th (243 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Lewis Brooks - 27:43.4 (25th) 2016 Regionals Finish: No team score 2016 Regionals Top Time: Lewis Brooks - 27:18.4 (50th) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: None Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: None Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Lewis Brooks - 20:42.2 (Hornet Harrier) 8K Course: Lewis Brooks - 27:18.4 (Regionals) |
2017 Poll Position: 2nd Head Coach: Brandon Spalding 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 1st (32 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Mac Strehler - 26:07.2 (1st) 2016 Regionals Finish: 2nd (58 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Mac Strehler - 25:27.9 (3rd) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Finish: 27th (640 pts.) 2016 NCAA Champs Top Time: Mac Strehler - 25:21.6 (92nd) Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: Mackenzye Leroy Second Team: Cooper Baird Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Alex Dolwick - 20:04.30 (Hornet Harrier) 8K Course: Mac Strehler - 24:56.7 (Oberlin) |
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2017 Poll Position: 5th Head Coach: Jim Sprecher 2016 ODAC Champs Finish: 2nd (63 pts.) 2016 ODAC Champs Top Time: Josh Shaw - 26:30.6 (4th) 2016 Regionals Finish: 6th (189 pts.) 2016 Regionals Top Time: Josh Shaw - 25:45.9 (9th) 2016 NCAA D-III Champs Competitors: Drew Smith - 26:09.3 (203rd); Josh Shaw - 26:18.6 (215th) Returning All-ODAC RUNNERS First Team: None Second Team: Tristan Lucy-Speidel Top Returners by Time 6K Course: Did not compete at this distance 8K Course: Justin Dorner-Thomas - 26:15.7 (Oberlin) |