Dayton sweeps A-10 cross country championships

The men’s team repeated as champions, placing four runners in the top 14. Dayton won its first championship a year ago after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll. This championship wasn’t a surprise. Dayton was voted the preseason favorite.

"We've gone from being unknown to kind of having a target on our back this year," coach Jason Ordway said in August.

Junior Chris Negri led the Flyers with a third-place finish, completing the 8-kilometer race in 25 minutes, 22.7 seconds. Sophomore J.P. Flavin finished fourth (25:23.6). Junior Spencer Danielson was 13th (25:37.3). Senior Tyler Agdalanis placed 14th (25:42.3).

Dayton has won four meets this season. It placed 20th overall at the NCAA Pre-National meet in Louisville, Ky., on Oct. 14, and ranks ninth in the region.

The women’s team, which finished second in 2016, won its first championship since 2009. It had six top-25 finishers in the 5K race: junior Taylor Vernot (third, 17:53.9); senior Emily Leonard (fourth, 17:56.9); sophomore Chloe Flora (sixth, 18:04.2); junior Emily Borchers (ninth, 18:14.9); senior Grace McDonald (18:32.8); and senior Nicole Steinbicker (23rd, 18:35.0).

This was the third meet victory for the UD women, who are ranked 10th in the Great Lakes Region and finished 21st at the 2017 Pre-National meet.