Hornets Head Women's Track Poll

Lynchburg Followed Closely by Roanoke in Coaches’ Survey

FOREST, Va. --- Lynchburg College earned five first place votes on the way to 47 poll points and the first position in the 2011 ODAC Women’s Indoor Track Poll.  Roanoke College follows closely behind with 44 tallies, having secured the remaining two first place nods.  Washington and Lee University rounds out the top three with 35 points.

Lynchburg features a heavy stable of proven student-athletes throughout all disciplines.  LaCear Hubbard returns after placing in four events at the 2010 ODAC Indoor Track Championships.  The Hornets’ sophomore won the long jump (18-2.50 feet) and finished third in the triple jump (36-3.50 feet) while also placing fifth in the 55-meter dash (7.54 sec.) and seventh in the high jump (4-9.75 feet).  Senior thrower Ashley Allen won both the shot put (38-4.25 feet) and the weight throw, eclipsing her own meet record in the latter event with a toss of 47-feet 11.25-inches (old record - 46-1.25 feet).  Senior Jessica Gibbs was strong in four events, highlighted by a third place showing in the long jump (17-3.50 feet).  Christina Washington is back for her junior season following a pair of third place finishes in the 200-meter (26.86) and 400-meter (59.14) dashes.  Also set to return to indoor action is two-time ODAC cross country champion, senior Jennie Pernisi.

Roanoke also welcomes back a host of talent as it goes in search of its second straight ODAC title and fifth in the last six years.  Sophomore Carmen Graves leads the group after earning ODAC Rookie of the Year honors in 2010.  She won the triple jump (36-5.00 feet), placed second in the 400-meter dash (59.10), and posted a pair of fourth place finishes the 200-meter dash (27.02) and the long jump (16-5.00 feet).  Classmate Rachal Crum was second in the 55-meter hurdles (8.94) and high jump (5-1.75 feet).  Junior Brittany Cornett was second in the triple jump (36-4.25 feet) and fourth in the 55-meter hurdles (9.05).  Throwers senior Whitney Fitzwater and sophomore Alisha McCrowey add to the Maroons’ potency.

The Generals will look to sophomore Lauren Schultz to pave the way forward.  She won the 5,000-meter run (19:16.52) and placed third in the mile run (5:28.54) in 2010.  W&L’s long-distance corps, which boasts several strong runners, will benefit from the addition of freshman Rebecca Bryer, who earned the 2010 ODAC Cross Country Rookie of the Year award.  Marissa Thompson scored in three events in 2010, including a fourth place showing in the 55-meter dash (7.53), and fellow sophomore Taylor Maxey looks to make her mark throwing indoors after placing third in the discus at the 2010 ODAC outdoor championships.

Senior Christina Rhodes leads the Bridgewater College contingent into 2011.  Rhodes followed up a 2010 ODAC indoor pole vault title (11-10.00 feet) with a trip to the NCAA outdoor championships in May, where she earned the NCAA Elite 88 Award as the student-athlete with the highest grade point average at the event.  The Eagles’ distance unit features a pair of sophomores in Molly Smith and Olivia Mills.  Smith was third in the 5,000-meter run (19:36.28) and sixth in the mile run (5:43.87), while Mills looks to bring her act indoors after placing second at the 2010 ODAC cross country meet.

Virginia Wesleyan College and Eastern Mennonite will look to upperclassmen to lead their teams.  Marlins’ junior Kelly Fauth finished second in the mile run (5:25.96) and fourth in the 800-meter run (2:30.12).  Classmate Adrienne Williams placed fifth in the triple jump (35-0.25 feet) and sixth in the long jump (15-11.75 feet).  For EMU, senior Samfee Doe is the top returner, having placed fifth in the 400-meter dash (1:00.84) and 10^th in the 200-meter dash (27.87).

Guilford College has a roster chock full of newcomers with 11 first year student-athletes set to make an impression.  Taylor Stokes looks to make a quick impact for the Quakers after a strong freshman cross country campaign that saw her finish 23^rd in the conference meet.

Listed below is the complete 2011 ODAC Women’s Indoor Track Coaches’ Poll.  For more information, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC’s home n the Internet at www.odaconline.com. 

2011 ODAC WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK COACHES’ POLL
(#) Denotes first place votes