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Cross Country

ODAC Cross Country Report: Week 7

Following a heavy week of competition in Week 6, the Week 7 slate was lighter with three meets featuring four ODAC schools. Washington and Lee's nationally 18th-ranked men's program competed in Charlotte at the Royals Cross Country Challenge, while Virginia Wesleyan's programs were in action at the VSU Cross Country Challenge. Averett and Guilford carried ODAC banners in the Livingstone XC Invitational.

  • Royals Cross Country Challenge (Men: 8K | Women: 5K)
    • Meet Results
    • Competing Programs: Washington and Lee (men)
    • ODAC Men's Best: William Fitch, WLU – 19th at 26:39.6 (5:21.8 pace)
  • VSU Cross Country Challenge (Men: 8K | Women: 5K)
    • Meet Results
    • Competing Programs: Virginia Wesleyan
    • ODAC Men's Best: Jerry Watson, VWU – 11th at 27:53.6 (5:36.6 pace)
    • ODAC Women's Best: Ester Zar, VWU – 2nd at 19:37.7 (6:19.0 pace)
  • Livingstone XC Invitational (Men: 7850m | Women: 5K)
    • Meet Results
    • Competing Programs: Averett, Guilford
    • ODAC Men's Best: Yassine Allam, GC – 9th at 29:45.1 (6:05.9)
    • ODAC Women's Best: Gabrielle Griffin, AU – 3rd at 20:44.6 (6:40.6 pace)


ODAC Top Times Reports: MXC | WXC

  • ESTER ZAR | VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
    Zar, a first-year from Jonkoping, Sweden, was Virginia Wesleyan's top finisher at the VSU Cross Country Challenge hosted by Virginia State University at Randolph Farm in Petersburg, Va. Zar finished second overall in a field of 41 runners, trailing only champion Rose Muturi from host VSU. Zar used a 6:19.0 per-mile pace to post the second-fastest five-kilometer time in Marlins women's cross country program history at 19:37.7. That mark appears as the sixth-fastest 5K time in the ODAC on the 2025 performance list.

  • WILLIAM FITCH | WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY
    First, a junior from Westport, Conn., led Washington and Lee as the top Division III finisher at the Royals Cross Country Challenge hosted by Queens University at McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte, N.C. Fitch placed 19th overall with the third-fastest eight-kilometer time of his career at 26:18.4. He used a 5:21.8 per-mile pace to register his best 8K time of the season, which appears 23rd on the ODAC performance list.

Ester Zar
William Fitch