Five Bearcats in Top 25 on NCAA National Performance List

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Four runners and one thrower on the Willamette University women's track and field team are ranked in the top 25 on the NCAA Division III national performance list through Tuesday, May 5.

Michaela Freeby (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) is listed at #1 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and is #23 in the 1,500-meter run. Her top time in the steeplechase is 10:30.09. Freeby placed fourth in the steeplechase at the 2013 NCAA Championships, was 13th in 2012 and also and competed in the steeplechase at the NCAA meet in 2014. Her best time in the 1,500 is 4:35.18.

Olivia Mancl (So./Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) is ranked #20 in the 1,500 with a time of 4:34.64. She recorded her top time at the OSU High Performance Meet last Friday.

Joining Freeby in the top 25 of the steeplechase performance list are Taylor Ostrander (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS) and Hannah Bressler (Jr., Oak Harbor, WA/Oak Harbor HS). Ostrander is ranked #12 at 10:52.24 and Bressler is listed at #211 at 10:59.31. Ostrander placed 11th in the steeplechase as the NCAA Championships in 2014.

In the javelin throw, Meka Townsend (Jr., Okanogan, WA/Okanogan HS) of Willamette is ranked #25. Her top distance of the season is 133' 6", set with a third place finish at the NWC Championships on April 25. Last year, Townsend took 10th place at the NCAA Championships.

At the end of this year's regular season, the top 22 athletes in each women's event will qualify for the 2015 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The NCAA Championships will be held May 21-23 at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.