Freeby Places Third in Steeplechase in Personal Record of 10:30.09 at SFSU

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Willamette University runner Michaela Freeby (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) took third place and set a personal record in the women's steeplechase at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival on Friday, April 3. Freeby time was 10:30.09, as she improved her career-best by just over three seconds.

Freeby's previous top time was 10:33.34 while taking fourth place at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships on March 23, 2013. She is still second on WU's all-time list, trailing only the school record of 10:23.34 set by Kimber Mattox in 2011.

In Friday's steeplechase at San Francisco State, Amy Snittger of club team SRA/Sketchers earned first place in 10:26.31. Shelby Mills of Gonzaga University placed second at 10:28.22. Freeby finished just 3.78 seconds out of first place.

Taylor Ostrander (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS) of Willamette placed 11th in the steeplechase. She broke the 11-minute mark with a time of 10:52.24. Her personal record in the steeplechase is 10:40.86, set at the Oregon Twilight on March 9, 2014. Ostrander took 11th at the NCAA Championships last spring.

Also at the Distance Carnival on Friday, Olivia Mancl (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) of WU competed in the women's 1,500-meter run and earned a time of 4:35.29. She took 15th place out of 122 runners. The 1,500 was won by Jennifer Beckingham of San Jose State University with a time of 4:26.82.

Other members of the Willamette men's and women's track and field teams will compete at the Jenn Boyman Memorial Invitational on Saturday, April 4 at Linfield College. The meet is set to get underway at 10 a.m. (PDT).