Swanson and Forbush Set Personal Records at Portland Twilight

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Hannah Swanson (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) and Maura Forbush (Jr., Hollister, CA/San Benito HS) each set a personal record in their respective events for Willamette University during the University of Portland Twilight on Sunday, May 15. The track and field meet was held at Griswold Stadium on the Lewis & Clark College campus.

Both Bearcat runners registered times on Willamette's top 10 lists.

Swanson competed in the women's 1,500-meter run and earned a time of 4:33.03. She remained in fifth on Willamette's all-time list after improving her previous top time by 0.05. She was timed in 4:33.08 at the OSU High Performance on April 29.

In addition, Swanson stayed in 20th place on the NCAA Division III performance list for the 2016 season. The top 22 runners in each women's event will qualify for the NCAA Championships when competition lists are released next weekend. At the moment, Ashley West of Susquehanna University (Pa.) is 21st at 4:33.27 and Abigail Nadler of Middlebury College (Vt.) is 22nd at 4:33.33.

Forbush finished the women's 800-meter run at the Portland Twilight in 2:15.53 and reduced her previous best by 0.63. She lowered her time from 2:16.16, which she earned twice this season -- at the John Knight Twilight on April 8 and recently at the West Coast Invitational on May 12.

With her new top time, Forbush moved into ninth place on Willamette's all-time list.

The Bearcats will compete in two last-chance meets later this week. One of the meets is the Gregory Invitational at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, on Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 19. Willamette also will participate in the Whitworth NCAA Final Qualifying Meet on Thursday in Spokane, Washington.