College Cross Country News – Guilford Women Ninth, Men 11th In Preseason ODAC Polls

FOREST, Va. – Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) cross country coaches selected Guilford College’s women’s team ninth and the men’s side 11th in the league’s annual preseason polls Wednesday. The Quakers’ women collected 38 points in the 12-team poll. Guilford’s men had 17 points in the 11-team ratings.

Washington and Lee University claimed the top spot in both the women’s and men’s polls. Roanoke College and Eastern Mennonite University were picked second and third in the women’s rankings, while Bridgewater College and Lynchburg College rounded out the top-three teams on the men’s side.

Guilford’s women return just two harriers from the 2016 unit that came home in ninth at the league championships. Senior Sommer Fanney (Burlington, N.C./Williams) is back after a record-setting campaign in which set Guilford’s six-kilometer standard (23:58.80) in her 10th-place finish at the league championships. She placed 10th at the meet, good for a spot on the Second Team All-ODAC team. Junior Samantha Brooks is Guilford’s other returning veteran.

The Quakers’ men welcome back three letter winners from last year’s team, which finished 10th in the 2016 ODAC Championships. Junior Caleb Amstutz is Guilford’s top veteran after posting the team’s best time in all six meets a year ago. His eight-kilometer mark of 29:44 placed 67th at the league meet. Senior Caleb Anderson and sophomore Colin Dossell (Winston-Salem, N.C./Mount Tabor) also return for the Quakers.

Guilford opens its schedule September 1 at the ODAC Preview meet at Virginia Wesleyan University. The Marlins will host the league championships October 28.