The Batten University women's cross country team delivered a historic performance at the 2026 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championships, finishing third overall to tie the program's best conference championship finish while sophomore Ester Zar captured the individual conference title at Kernstown Battlefield.
Zar became just the second runner in program history to win the ODAC individual championship, joining Marissa Coombs, who accomplished the feat in 2017. The Marlins' third-place team finish also matched the 2017 squad for the highest placement in program history.
Batten finished with 66 points, just two points behind second-place Lynchburg (64), while Washington and Lee claimed the team championship with 46 points. The Marlins finished ahead of fourth-place Shenandoah (99) and fifth-place Roanoke (120).
Zar dominated the women's 6K race, crossing the finish line in 21:44.1 to claim the individual championship. The sophomore finished more than a minute ahead of runner-up Adelaide Ellis of Washington and Lee, who completed the course in 22:55.3. Zar's championship performance earned her First Team All-ODAC honors.
Freshman Ella Moskowitz added another outstanding performance for the Marlins, finishing third overall with a time of 23:20.5 to earn First Team All-ODAC recognition. With Zar and Moskowitz finishing first and third, Batten placed two runners among the top three at the conference championship.
Freshman Madison Coutinho rounded out Batten's top-three finishers, placing ninth overall with a time of 24:06.1. Her performance gave the Marlins three runners inside the top 10, as Coutinho earned Second Team All-ODAC honors. With Zar and Moskowitz collecting First Team recognition, Batten finished the championship with three All-Conference selections.
Senior Abbigail Peck followed with a 24th-place finish, completing the course in 24:51.4, while sophomore Sam Lyman rounded out the Marlins' scoring five with a time of 26:40.4, placing 46th overall.
The championship performance marked a significant milestone for the program, as Batten's five scoring runners combined for the school's best conference finish in nine years. With an individual champion, two First Team All-ODAC selections, one Second Team All-ODAC honoree and a third-place team result, the Marlins put together one of the most successful ODAC Championship performances in program history.
