Lynchburg, Va. – The University of Lynchburg men's and women's cross country teams will travel to Bridgewater, Va. on Saturday, Nov. 1 to begin postseason competition at the 2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships, hosted by Bridgewater College.

The Hornets have claimed the past four men's ODAC titles, posting 17 points to secure the victory last season. The women's team earned three consecutive titles from 2021 to 2023 and fell by just five points to Washington & Lee at the 2024 ODAC Championships.

2024 marked the first time since 2012 that two different schools earned team titles.

In 2022, Lynchburg's men's and women's teams boasted the top five finishers to earn a perfect 15 points on each side. The Hornets own 21 men's trophies to lead the conference, while the women's team boasts nine ODAC titles for second behind W&L.

This year's conference championship marks the first postseason coaching assignment for Sam Llaneza, who replaced Jake Reed at the helm of the distance program. Llaneza participated in four ODAC Cross Country Championships during his time as an athlete, earning the team title and finishing inside the top five in each performance.

The men's race commences at 10:00 a.m., while the women are slated to compete at 11:00 a.m. Saturday's course features several loops throughout Bridgewater's campus, and the site hosted the ODAC championships in 2021 when Lynchburg swept the men's and women's team titles.

Weather forecasts indicate that temperatures will rise to 61 degrees by Saturday afternoon, while wind gusts are expected to remain between five and 10 miles per hour. Although spectators can expect chilly conditions in the morning, rain is not predicted in Saturday's forecast.

Men's Race (10:00 a.m)

The Hornets enter the men's 8k ranked 23rd in Division III, while No. 18 Washington & Lee enters the weekend as the favorite.

Alex Jordan's 24:32.1 personal-best performance at the Paul Short Run in early October currently stands as the fastest 8k time in the ODAC. Alex Paciello and Aidan Riggle are the two other Hornets to dip under the 25-minute mark during the 2025 season, both posting season-best times at the Connecticut College Invite in their most recent race.

The Hornets will return seven of their top eight performers for next season, though their sights remain focused on the 2025 title. Last year, Chasen Hunt claimed the individual victory with a 24:53.1 result at Green Hill Park, and the Hornets occupied the top four positions in the men's race.

Lynchburg aims to use depth to its advantage on Saturday, evidenced by the team's 33-second spread among the top five finishers in Connecticut. Based on season-best times, Lynchburg has placed seven finishers ahead of Washington & Lee's fifth runner.

The Hornets have boasted the ODAC individual champion at the past five conference championships.

Women's Race (11:00 a.m)

Lynchburg occupies fifth in the South Region standings ahead of the ODAC Championships, ranked only behind Washington & Lee in the conference.

Sophomore Adelynn Carpenter holds the third-fastest 6k time in the ODAC from this season, clocking 22:05.50 at the South Region Showdown last time out. Delaney Saulsbury offers veteran experience as one of two seniors competing for the Hornets, and Lynchburg's next three runners have finished in a pack consistently throughout the season.

Graduate Allison Dell posted 21:42.1 as Lynchburg's top finisher at the 2024 ODAC Championships, finishing second behind W&L's Olivia Warr.

While the men's team traveled north for the final regular season meet, the Lynchburg women competed at Green Hill Park in Salem, Va. The Hornets have now spent three consecutive weekends in the Old Dominion State ahead of the 90-minute trek to Bridgewater College.

The 2025 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Cross Country Championships will be live-streamed on FloCollege from the campus of Bridgewater College.

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--LYN--