2010
In his senior year as a Flyer, Chris Lemon continued to be the focal point for UD cross country. Named a team captain and MVP, Lemon let his hard work and performance in both practice and meets do the talking. Of the team's seven meets over the course of the season, Lemon handed in the top UD time at each. He was the individual winner of the season's first four meets, setting records in each race. At the Flyer 5K, Chris set a course record with a time of 14:45 while helping his team to a second place finish. Shortly after, he set an intercollegiate record at the Mel Brodt Invite 8K, winning in a 24:13 time. At the National Catholic Inivite 8K, Chris matched his own previously set team record of 24:05 and took the individual title. Next, at the All-Ohio Championships 8K, Chris set yet another course record, this time at 24:11. He was named to the All Great Lakes Regional Team, and he set a team 10K record of 30:31, helping him finish fifth in a field of 217 runners. Lemon qualified for the NCAA Division I National Championships, where he finished 13th out of 38 individual qualifiers, and 84th out of 255 overall runners. Chris became the only Flyer to finish first (2009) or second (2010) overall in the A-10 Championships. Adding to Chris' 2010 accolades, ESPN The Magazine named Chris to the Academic All-American Second Team. Finally, for the second consecutive season, Lemon's hard work inside the classroom earned him the title of Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year. He also earned 2010 USTFCCCA Division I All-Academic Cross Country status.
2009
Lemon spent his junior year etching himself further into UD XC lore, re-setting the program 8K record for a second and third time, as well as claiming the first-ever Atlantic 10 individual crown in team history. Lemon won the conference championship on a muddy day, in a time of 26:13, which helped the Flyers finish third overall – the best finish in program history. In the team’s second race, the Mel Brodt Invitational, Lemon re-broke his own school record from 2008 with a time of 24:08. Two meets later, at the Notre Dame Invitational, he would do it again and set the bar at a new low point of 24:05. The zippy junior also led UD in every single race during the 2009 season and was named the team’s Most Valuable Runner for the second consecutive year. On top of all that, Lemon was a hard worker in the classroom and was honored as the conference’s Student-Athlete of the Year.
2008
To say Chris Lemon had a breakout sophomore season would be an understatement. During the 2008 fall season, the fleet-footed second year runner teamed up with brother, Matt, to become the first Flyers to ever qualify for the NCAA National Championship meet. Chris began the season strong by leading the Flyers at the Meijer Flyer 5K, in which he placed fifth overall in a time of 15:41. He would lead the Flyers in four of seven races overall. Chris set the 8K school record at the Atlantic 10 Championships (24:11), which earned him All-Conference honors for the first time. At the NCAA Great Lakes Regionals, Lemon placed third - the best ever finish by a Flyer runner at that event - before running the fastest 10K time in school history at the NCAA National Championships (30:55). Although Lemon finished 102nd at the national meet, it was a season without precedent for any Flyer. He was named Atlantic 10 Performer of the Week on Sept. 29, as well as being named to the Atlantic 10 Men's Cross Country All-Academic Team, and as icing on the cake, Chris added the team's White-Allen Most Valuable Runner award to his coffer.
2007
Chris Lemon placed seventh overall to open the season at the Flyer 5K, and would only improve throughout the fall. He took fourth place overall at the next meet, the National Catholic Invitational, in a Flyer freshman record time of 24:59. Lemon established himself by finishing as Dayton's second man in four of the final five meets of the season, including at the Atlantic 10 Championships where he finished 26th overall. To round out the year, Lemon posted a time of 32:04 at the NCAA Regional, good enough for third all-time on the school's 10K list. Chris established three All-Time 8K Performances in program history and a third place Harrier Hero ranking during his freshman campaign.
High School
Owns the sixth fastest 5k senior time in Ohio at 15:44 (one second behind his brother, Matt Lemon)...Placed sixth at the 2006 D-I Cross Country Championships...Earned a 14th place finish at the D-I Track and Field Championships (10:00 in 3200 meter)...His best 5k cross country time stands at 15:30.
Personal
Son of Barbara and Dr. Michael Lemon...Has an older brother Paul and younger sister Elizabeth...Twin brother Matt also runs cross country for the Flyers...Born July 20, 1989...Double majoring in Education and Spanish.
