FOREST, Va. --- This an unprecendented time in the world of collegiate athletics, with spring sports and championships canceled due to the landscape surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The stoppage of competition, while affecting all student-athletes, was especially painful for the senior class of 2020 with an abrupt end to their careers. In a new series of features, the ODAC would like to honor this class of athletes and celebrate them for their years of contributions to their respective programs at each of the conference's 15 member schools.

In this installment of our "Saluting the Class of 2020" features, the ODAC showcases the seniors from our men's track & field programs.

The 2020 senior class has collectively put together an impressive resumé that includes an abundance of all-conference and all-region honors and a strong contingent of ODAC championship event winners.

On the national stage, Bridgewater College sprinter and jumper Davonta Womack has been the standard-bearer for the league. Womack, the reigning "fastest man in Division III," has collected five All-American awards thru his performances at NCAA championships. Three of those came at the 2019 outdoor meet as he won the 100-meter dash, finished seventh in the long jump, and joined teammates Diante Cannon, Alex Galloway, and Dirk Jones in placing sixth in the 4x100-meter relay. Womack's two additional All-American honors came in 2018 at the outdoor championships where he finished sixth in the 100-meter dash and 2019 at the indoor championship where he stopped the watches eighth in the 60-meter dash. In 2018, Womack just missed out on a chance at earning a sixth All-American award as a photo-finish in the indoor 60-meter dash left him one spot out of the finals.

Womack and Shenandoah University sprinter Elijah Morton were slated to compete at the 2020 indoor championships. Both would have competed in the 60-meter dash field with Womack entering as the joint top-seed with Michael Johnson form Augustana College. Morton was seeded 18th in the competition. Womack also was scheduled to compete in the long jump as he was slotted fourth in the field.

RELATED: NCAA Championship Results -- 2018 Indoor | 2018 Outdoor | Indoor 2019 | Outdoor 2019 | 2020 Indoor Entries

Bridgewater and Washington and Lee University's senior classes have helped lead their programs to ODAC team titles the past three-plus seasons. The Generals have captured all four of the indoor crowns since 2017 as well as the 2017 outdoor championship. The Eagles collected the 2018 and 2019 outdoor trophies.

Individually, the class of 2020 is responsible for 100 total top-three finishes at the ODAC indoor and outdoor championships, awarding 24 athletes All-ODAC status. That list includes 12 standouts that accounted for 35 event victories.

Womack leads the charge as the winner of 12 events during his career including six in sprints, five in the long jump, and one as a member of the All-American 4x100-meter relay squad. Fellow Eagle Shane Gibson was on the winning indoor distance medley relay team in 2017.

Washington and Lee's Donovan Fiore and Shep Sims garnered 10 combined crowns. Fiore finished first five times as a member of winning 4x400-meter relay teams and earned the 2019 indoor 400-meter dash medal. Sims won four straight ODAC pole vault competitions in 2017 and 2018. Generals teammate Jay Roberts stood atop the 2019 discus podium.

Lynchburg's Reid Sharkey has tasted gold five times in his career. He has twice won the mile in addition to the 1,500-meter run in 2019, 3,000-meter run in 2020, and distance medley relay in 2020 with senior teammate Conor Cahill. Fellow Hornet Shawn Gmurek won 800-meter runs outdoors in 2019 and indoors this winter.

The remaining four event-winning athletes claimed one title each. Eastern Mennonite University's Jamel Howard won the 2017 outdoor high jump, while Emory & Henry College's Trel Phillips secured the 2019 outdoor shot put medal. Shenandoah University's Kyle Albert contributed to the winning distance medley relay at the 2018 indoor championships, and Virginia Wesleyan Unviersity's Curtis Dudley helped speed the Marlins to a 4x100-meter relay win at the 2018 outdoor meet.

Listed below is a breakdown of the 24 seniors that earned All-ODAC status during the track & field careers.
(Abbreviation Guide: itf = indoor track & field; otf = outdoor track & field; SC = 3000m Steeplechase; PV = Pole Vault; SP = Shot Put; WT = Weight Throw; HT = Hammer Throw; DMR = Distance Medley Relay)

• Brady Barefoot, BC | 2017 otf: 3rd - 4x100
• Rashon Davis, BC | 2017 otf: 3rd - HJ --- 2018 otf: 2nd - HJ --- 2019 itf: 2nd - HJ --- 2020 itf: 2nd - HJ
• Shane Gibson, BC | 2017 itf: 1st - DMR
• Davonta Womack, BC | 2018 itf: 1st - 60m, 200m, LJ; 2nd - 4x400 --- 2018 otf: 1st - LJ; 2nd - 100m, 4x100 --- 2019 itf: 1st - 60m, 200m, LJ; 3rd - 4x400 --- 2019 otf: 1st - 100m, LJ, 4x100; 2nd - 200m, 4x400 --- 2020 itf: 1st - 60m, LJ
• Jamel Howard, EMU | 2017 otf: 1st - HJ
• Justin Fannon, E&H | 2019 itf: 2nd - SP --- 2019 otf: 3rd - SP
• Trel Phillips, E&H | 2019 otf: 1st - SP
• Jeremiah Hedrick, GC | 2019 otf: 3rd - LJ
• Conor Cahill, LYN | 2018 itf: 3rd - 4x400 --- 2018 otf: 2nd - 4x400 --- 2019 itf: 2nd - 4x400 --- 2019 otf: 3rd - 4x400 --- 2020 itf: 1st - DMR
• Shawn Gmurek, LYN | 2017 otf: 3rd - 4x400 --- 2018 otf: 2nd - 800m --- 2019 itf: 2nd - 800m --- 2019 otf: 1st - 800m --- 2020 itf: 1st - 800m; 2nd - mile
• Kevin Moran, LYN | 2017 otf: 3rd - 400H --- 2018 itf: 3rd - 4x400 --- 2018 otf: 2nd - 4x400; 3rd - 400H --- 2019 itf: 2nd - 4x400 --- 2019 otf: 3rd - 400H, 4x400
• Reid Sharkey, LYN | 2018 otf: 2nd - 1500m --- 2019 itf: 1st - mile; 2nd - 3K --- 2019 otf: 1st - 1500m; 2nd 800m --- 2020 itf: 1st - mile, 3K, DMR
• Athey Crump, RC | 2017 itf: 2nd - DMR --- 2018 itf: 3rd - DMR
• Paul Houston, RC | 2018 itf: 3rd - DMR
• Dillon Kopec, RC | 2017 otf: 2nd - PV
• Kyle Albert, SU | 2018 itf: 1st - DMR
• Elijah Morton, SU | 2019 otf: 2nd - 100m --- 2020 itf: 2nd - 60m
• Curtis Dudley, VWU | 2018 otf: 1st - 4x100 --- 2019 itf: 3rd - 60m --- 2020 itf: 3rd - 60m
• Michael Tres, VWU | 2019 itf: 3rd - DMR
• Donovan Fiore, W&L | 2017 itf: 3rd - 4x400 --- 2017 otf: 1st - 4x400 --- 2018 itf: 1st - 4x400; 2nd - 200m, 400m --- 2018 otf: 1st - 4x400; 2nd - 200m, 400m; 3rd - 4x100 --- 2019 itf: 1st - 400m, 4x400; 3rd - 200m --- 2019 otf: 1st - 4x400; 2nd - 400m; 3rd - 4x100 --- 2020 itf: 2nd - 400m
• Jimmie Johnson, W&L | 2017 itf: 3rd - 4x400 --- 2020 itf: 3rd - 4x400
• Austin Kinne, W&L | 2017 otf: 3rd - 10K --- 2018 itf: 2nd - 5K --- 2018 otf: 3rd - 10K --- 2019 otf: 3rd - 10K
• Jay Roberts, W&L | 2017 itf: 2nd - SP --- 2017 otf: 2nd - SP --- 2019 itf: 3rd - WT --- 2019 otf: 1st - Discus; 2nd - SP --- 2020 itf: 2nd - SP, WT
• Shep Sims, W&L | 2017 itf: 1st - PV --- 2017 otf: 1st - PV --- 2018 itf: 1st - PV --- 2018 otf: 1st - PV --- 2020 itf: 2nd - PV

RELATED: ODAC Indoor Results -- 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 -- ODAC Outdoor Results -- 2017 | 2018 | 2019

Special ODAC awards were plentiful amongst this group of seniors. Sims was the 2017 indoor ODAC Co-Rookie of the Year with Lynchburg's David Moore. Sims earned the outdoor honor outright that season. Womack was the indoor track athlete of the meet in 2018 and earned the same honor at both the indoor and outdoor championships in 2019. He received indoor field athlete of the meet distinction at the 2020 championships. Sharkey was the indoor track athlete of the meet in 2020, while Gmurek was tabbed the 2020 indoor ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Womack features several times in the ODAC indoor and outdoor record books. He is owner of indoor championship records in the 60-meter dash and long jump with marks of 6.78-seconds and 7.36 meters (24-1.75). Outdoors, Womack claims the overall 100-meter dash record in 10.20-seconds and joins his 4x100-meter relay teammates Cannon, Galloway, and Jones as the overall and championship record holders at 41.16-seconds.

RELATED: ODAC Men's Track & Field Record Books --- Indoor | Outdoor

Nine different athletes earned all-region laurels from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Womack was honored twice as the South/Southeast Region Track Athlete of the Year for his indoor accomplishments in 2019 and 2020. He collected 13 overall all-region accolades in addtion to the two major honors. Fellow Eagle Davis earned two honors.

Fiore and Sims were recognized seven and five times, respectively, while Sharkey also earned five honors. Dudley was tabbed all-region three times, while Howard collected a pair of laurels. Gmurek and Morton earned one each.

RELATED: USTFCCCA Awards Program

Showcased below are graphics and/or videos (for schools with more than one honoree) introducing you to each of the men's track & field athletes from the class of 2020. Click on a graphic or one of the links below a video to be sent to that athlete's bio to learn more about them. Be sure to check out the senior features published by ODAC member athletic departments throughout the spring.

For more on ODAC men's track & field, 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 following @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

BC Senior Bios -- Brady Barefoot | Rashon Davis | Jarrod Denham | Shane Gibson | John Gieseler | Davonta Womack	EMU Senior Bios -- Jamel Howard | Collin Longenecker | Justin Odom
E&H Senior Bios -- Justin Fannon | Trel Phillips	GC Senior Bios -- Jeremiah Hedrick | Juwan Houston
LYN Senior Bios -- Ethan Batchelor | Conor Cahill | Eli Cramer | Shawn Gmurek | Neil Lucas | Kevin Moran | Reid Sharkey
RC Senior Bios -- Tyler Barrett | Kaleb Bland | Kyle Bland | Alec Carlson | Athey Crump | Paul Houston | Dillon Kopec | Nathaniel Willis	SU Senior Bios -- Kyle Albert | James Knave | Elijah Morton | Destiny Peabody
VWU Senior Bios -- Trevor Cerone | Curtis Dudley | M.J. Dunn | Abel Owusu | Michael Tres | Louis Wolverton	W&L Seniors -- Donovan Fiore | Jimmie Johnson | Austin Kinne | Jay Roberts | Shep Sims | Tom Smulsky