FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University, fresh off capturing its 12th straight conference championship, enters the 2019-20 campaign as the favorite to add to its stable of team trophies as the Generals were picked atop the ODAC Women's Swimming Preseason Poll. W&L earned 144 points and 12 first place votes to top the chart, while Roanoke College moves to its highest position in the program's history in second position with 128 points. Randolph-Macon College is close on the Maroons' heels with 127 markings, including the remaining first place consideration.

The increased depth of competition showed at last season's ODAC Championships with three squads finishing with better than 500 total points. Washington and Lee still dominated the final table, picking up 988.0 points to lift its 29th conference crown. The Generals won 11-of-13 individual events and all five. Randolph-Macon finished second with 675.0 points, while Roanoke chimed in third with 516.0 markers. Both programs saw athletes win one individual.

Nine different events saw records broken, sometimes more than once. Washington and Lee set new championship marks in four of the five relays, adding an overall conference record to its new meet record in the 200-yard freestyle relay. Two-time ODAC Swimmer of the Year Emily Hageboeck set both types of records in the 400-yard IM and the 200-yard breaststroke, while Ali MacQueen did the same in the 50-yard freestyle.

RELATED: 2019 ODAC Championship Results | ODAC Record Book

The Generals put together an historic showing at the NCAA Division III Championships, which were also held at ODAC championship-host the Greensboro Aquatic Center. Washignton and Lee placed 10th in the team standings with 121.5 points, marking the second time in program history the team posted a top-10 showing (7th in 2017). Washington and Lee swimmers filled their mantles with All-American awards and snapped records. See the daily recaps below for a full breakdown of their performances.

RELATED: 2019 NCAA Division III Championship Results | Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

For a second straight year, ODAC rosters boast a treasure-trove of returning All-ODAC honorees with 28-of-35 award winners set to return. That includes 12 of the 15 All-ODAC honorees from a season ago.

Washington and Lee leads the way with 13 of the 17 all-league swimmers back in Lexington. That list includes 10-of-11 first teamers in Caroline Baber, who doubled as the ODAC Rookie of the Year, as well as Claudia Barnett, Turner Bobboitt, Laura Bruce, Caroline Florence, Hannah Freibert, Mattie Grant, Hageboeck, Ashley Johnston, and MacQueen.

Randolph-Macon and Roanoke each feature six All-ODAC returners. The Yellow Jackets have to replace their two first team qualifiers from 2019, but athletes like All-ODAC Second Team honorees Becca Lazerson and Emma Kate Russell are poised to do just that. The Maroons look to first teamers Reilly Bird and Izzy Mack to carry the torch as Roanoke opens its third year of competition.

RELATED: 2019 All-ODAC Awards

In addition to the strong corps of returning talent to league rosters, ODAC waters will feature a new program with the University of Lynchburg entering its first season of conference competition. Head coach Brad Dunn, who arrived on campus as the Director of Men's and Women's Swimming in August 2018, brings in a solid corps of newcomers and additions from the Hornets’ existing club team, highlighted by graduate student Alyssa Reed, who qualified for club nationals each of the past two years. Claire Galloway and Molly Shand are expected to stand out for the Lynchburg newcomers.

The 2019-20 season kicks off the weekend of Friday, September 27 and continues thru the remainder of the fall into early December before a brief hiatus into January. The conference championship is a week earlier that in past years, but also features a fourth day of competition. The championship, which returns to the Greensboro Aquatic Center, is set for February 6-9, 2020. The ODAC will also serve as co-hosts for the NCAA Championships for a second straight year. The nation's best swimmers head to the GAC for four days of competition from March 18-21, 2020.

Listed below is the 2019-20 ODAC Women's Swimming Preseason Poll. Be sure to check out the preseason capsules for each team as well (online version only click HERE for the online release).

For more information on ODAC women's swimming, 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.