Written by Reagan Bednar ~ Guest Writer
(photo via @lynchburgsports on instagram)
On October 29th, the University of Lynchburg’s mens and womens cross country teams clinched the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship titles. This is the second straight title for both the men’s and women’s programs.
On the men’s side, the Hornets swept the field for the first time in history. Senior Frank Csorba took the individual title with an eight-kilometer course time of 25:38.4. Fellow Hornet, Corbin Green followed closely behind with a time of 25:38.7.
Senior Sam Llaneza and sophomore Marko Kocacevik and Cooper Hurst rounded out the top five to secure a top five sweep of the field for the Hornets. There were also four more Lynchburg runners represented in the top 15.
Junior runner Sam Graham spoke highly of the program’s culture attributing that to their consistent success. “Obviously success is great and everyone wants to be part of a good team, but it takes a cultural commitment and buy-in to turn into a competitive program year-in and year-out. That’s what Coach Reed has established during his time at Lynchburg,” said Graham.
The women’s team also saw a top five sweep in the championship race. Senior Kelsey Lagunas led the way for the Hornets winning her second consecutive championship. She finished the six- kilometer race with a time of 21:55.8. Sophomores Sarah James, Allison Dell, and Molly Silva and junior Lauren Massey completed the top five sweep.
First year graduate assistant coach and former four year letter winner, Brennan Straits said, “This year, the group completed something very special, one we will remember for a while. By sweeping both events, the men and women became the first school in conference history to do so. It was a blessing to learn how to coach with this group. I’m excited about the future with this team.”
Both the men’s and women’s teams are now setting their sights on a regional championship title. By winning the title, they would get an automatic bid into the National Championship race.
The women’s team is currently ranked number one in the NCAA South Region in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll. The men’s team is ranked second in the South Region USTFCCCA poll.
South Regional Championships will be held on November 12th at Lee Hall Mansion in Newport News, Va. Visit https://www.lynchburgsports.com/sports/xc for more information and to follow along.