ODAC Runners Perform Well at South/Southeast Regionals
Full Results Men's Results Women's Results
SAN ANTONIO, Texas --- For the second straight year, Hornets stood atop the men's podium following the South/Southeast Regional Cross Country event as Lynchburg College won the team title by one point over Centre College (112-113) in San Antonio on Saturday. Lynchburg, along with several individuals on both the men's and women's contingents, will travel to Oshkosh, Wisc., next weekend for the 2011 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships.
There are several criteria for national qualification, some of which could improve the ODAC's representation next weekend. The top two teams from each of eight regional events around the country automatically qualify for the nationals. From those eight regions, 16 more (32 total) will be chosen at-large by the D-III cross country coaches committee. Only those that finished in the top-five at their respective regionals are eligible for at-large consideration.
In terms of individual qualification, the top seven finishers from each regional NOT on a team that either automatically qualifies or is selected at-large for the nationals will comprise the 56 individual competitors. Announcement of the men's and women's fields will be posted/made on Sunday, November 13, at 3:00 p.m. on www.ncaa.com.
The ODAC's performance in San Antonio could see as many as two other men's teams and one individual, plus two additional women's individuals, qualify for the nationals outside of what is already known from the meet results.
On the men's side, Lynchburg placed each of its five top runners amongst the first 40 finishers to claim its one-point victory over Centre. Cody Stanton (26:36.6) led the way for LC on the eight-kilometer course with a sixth place finish. Nolan Compton (18th - 27:10.4), William Orndorff (25th - 27:23.5), Anthony McBride (26th - 27:26.1) and Daniel Cutright (37th - 27:44.9) contributed to the Hornets' 112-point total. Brian Robinson (40th - 27:52.8) and Benjamin Tumolo (67th - 28:32.9) also competed for LC.
Four ODAC schools followed Centre and Emory University (163 pts) in the team standings. Guilford College (193), Bridgewater College (194) and Virginia Wesleyan College (207) chimed in fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. Both the Quakers and Eagles are eligible for committee consideration as at-large team selections.
Individually, Roanoke College's Tim Smith leads a list of five definitive national qualifiers as the 2011 ODAC champion finished second overall in a time of 26:13.0, 8.5-seconds behind race winner John Kieffer from Centre. Last year's regional champion, Sean Whitson from Virginia Wesleyan, placed third (26:22.8), followed by Easter Mennonite University's Dan Nafziger (4th - 26:26.7), GC's Chad Norton (5th - 26:34.5) and VWC's Nick Lauter (8th - 26:40.5). Guilford's Derick Kosgei (26:51.1) finished 12th, but he would only enter the national field if the Quakers earn an at-large team selection (in addition to Emory, which would have to be chosen first due to order of team finish at the regional). That would open the door from BC's Luke Sohl (13th - 26:52.1) to qualify as an individual, granting that the Eagles aren't also chosen as an at-large team.
For the ODAC women, Bridgewater was the top team finisher in sixth place (201 pts), which leaves the Eagles just outside of those teams eligible for at-large consideration. Emory (45), Rhodes College (86), Centre (92), Trinity University (Texas; 102) and Christopher Newport University (179) comprise the top-five.
BC's Olivia Mills leads the ODAC's individual contingent as she finished third overall with a time of 22:37.6 over the six-kilometer track. She enters as the second overall individual qualifier, while Lauren Schultz (12th - 23:16.1) from Washington and Lee University is the only other definitive qualifier from an ODAC school. Should Centre earn an at-large team selection, Roanoke's Grace England (16th - 23:39.6), the ODAC's Rookie of the Year, would earn a spot in the national field. The next highest ODAC competitor is BC's Molly Smith (20th - 23:52.2). If Trinity is chosen by the committee in addition to Centre, she would become the ODAC's fourth women's individual competitor.
Results from the 2011 South/Southeast Regional Men's and Women's Cross Country Meets are available from the links at the top of the page. Stay tuned to www.ncaa.com for the announcement of the national championships fields at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.