LYNCHBURG, Va. – The University of Lynchburg men’s cross country team relied on contributions from its first and second-year athletes to finish fifth in team standings at the Paul Short Run, with four sophomores featured in the team’s top-seven performances.
Sixteen first-year and sophomore athletes competed in the men’s team’s season opener at the Liberty Challenge, and last season, first-years Alex Jordan and Dylan McGraw raced at the 2024 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships. Jordan, who earned Rookie of the Year honors from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in 2024, recognizes even more growth from the recent offseason.
“I’m way more aware of what’s going on this year than last year,” Jordan said. “I know which teams to look out for and who to race against.”
For his counterpart, McGraw, experience has also played a beneficial role.
“There’s still new stuff I learn every day,” McGraw said. “I’ve been through the 8k a couple times now, so I know the feeling.”
The team only competed three times in a 36-day span to begin the season, but behind the scenes, Coach Sam Llaneza prepared the Hornets for meet day with an intense training block.
“I think it’s good that [Coach] Nez hasn’t put a big emphasis on racing,” Jordan said. “We’ve had high-pressure workouts that get us ready for the moment, so we’re not stressed out.”
Lynchburg benefited from its additional training and trailed its ODAC foe Washington & Lee by just one point at the Paul Short Run. The Generals also boasted four sophomores in their top-seven spread.
Welcoming All Personalities
The team experienced success on the course in Bethlehem, Pa.,which Jordan believes the team culture played a role in, helping Hornet runners feel accepted early in their careers. When asked to sum his team up in one word, Jordan immediately responded: “characters.”
“The wide variety of characters on the team makes it interesting and fun,” Jordan said. “I believe that anyone can come to Lynchburg with any personality and fit in because I think we have every variety you could possibly imagine.”
Now leading the group, Llaneza previously ran with the program from 2022 to 2025 and won two NCAA titles. McGraw believes his coach’s experience with the group pushes everyone forward.
“[Coach] Nez pulls us through in a big way, and we can relate to him really well with how young he is,” McGraw said. “It’s not forcing each other to hang out; we’re with each other every day and have great talks on our runs.”
In addition to Coach Llaneza’s youth, the graduate students provided experience to assist the young talent.
“We’re thankful that we still have [Johnathan] Cobb and Corbin [Green] to guide us through it,” Jordan said. “With a team full of young guys, there are definitely going to be some mistakes that happen.”
Winning as One
Cross country features the element of teamwork more than the indoor and outdoor track seasons, as all seven competitors contribute to the team score. As the program filled the spots of four All-Americans who graduated or departed after the 2025 outdoor track season, the program relied on its team camaraderie.
“We’re going to win this year with a spread and not just top individuals,” Jordan said. “I think that’s what cross country is all about.”
Lynchburg’s athletes recognized team success as the top priority for the season.
“It’s a blessing to be able to run and compete at this level,” McGraw said. “There’s always the goal of winning a national championship; that would be amazing, but if it were the team winning a championship over me, I would definitely choose the team.”
While Lynchburg entered the Paul Short Run ranked 22nd in the nation, McGraw continues to stay focused on seasons beyond 2025.
“Off of the first year and the improvements we made, I’m definitely looking forward to these next couple of years,” McGraw said.
To view the 2025 schedule for the Lynchburg men’s and women’s cross country teams, click here.
