Washington and Lee University
The Washington and Lee men's and women's cross country teams have both received lofty preseason regional rankings by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Additionally, the W&L women are ranked 32nd in the association's Division III National Poll.
In addition to their national ranking, the women's team is also ranked second in the South/Southeast Region, trailing only Emory University. The W&L men are ranked fourth in the South/Southeast Region poll, just behind top-ranked Texas-Tyler, Emory and Mary Washington.
The preseason national ranking for the W&L women marks a first in program history. The Generals are coming off a third-place finish at the 2007 NCAA South-Southeast Regional meet and are seeking their fifth-straight Old Dominion Athletic Conference title. W&L is led by several talented returnees, including junior Kat Telfeyan (Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge), who earned ODAC Runner of the Year and all-region honors last season. She also competed in the NCAA National Championships, finishing 103rd overall with a time of 23:00. Seniors Becca Taylor (Hamilton, Ohio/Edgewood) and Elizabeth Webb (Middleburg, Va./Wakefield School) also return after earning First Team All-ODAC and all-region honors. Taylor joined Telfeyan at NCAA Nationals, placing 235th overall (23:56).
The W&L men finished fourth at the 2007 NCAA South-Southeast Regional meet and are also seeking their fifth-straight conference crown. Seniors Michael Welsh (Tullahoma, Tenn./Tullahoma) and Vance Berry (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Episcopal) headline the returnees after garnering First Team All-ODAC and all-region accolades in 2007. Welsh also qualified for the NCAA National Championships, finishing in 164th place with a time of 26:10.
The W&L women open the 2008 campaign on Saturday as they participate in the Virginia Wesleyan Invitational at 10:00 am. The men open on Sept. 6 as both the men and women host the W&L Invitational beginning at 10:00 am.
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