Bearcat Runners to Compete at NCAA Cross Country Championships

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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's cross country team, plus two runners from the Bearcat men's cross country team, will compete at the NCAA Division III Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 19 in Winneconne, Wis. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is hosting the championships at Lake Breeze Golf Course.

Willamette's women earned an automatic team bid to the NCAA Championships by taking second place at the NCAA West Regional on Nov. 12. The top two men's teams and the top two women's teams from each of the eight regionals earned automatic bids.

The Bearcat men's team placed fourth at the West Regional and did not receive an at-large bid to the championships. Willamette's men will still be represented during the championship race, however, as Leo Castillo (Sr., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley HS) and Kevin Aubol (Jr., Ellensburg, WA/Ellensburg HS) earned individual bids.

Castillo took fourth place in the individual standings at the West Regional, while Aubol finished in 13th place. The top seven runners in each regional who were not on teams chosen for the NCAA Championships earned individual bids.

The Willamette women are ranked #29 in the nation in the NCAA Division III Poll released this week. They remain #3 in the West Region. The Bearcat men are ranked #4 in the West Region.

Willamette will have seven runners in the women's race. The first five Bearcats to complete the 6-kilometer course will contribute to Willamette's team score.

Running for the Bearcats in the women's championship race will be Michaela Freeby (Fr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS), Kaitlin Greene (Sr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS), Theresa Edwards (Jr., Lake Tapps, WA/Bonney Lake HS), Amanda Tamanaha (Jr., Honolulu, HI/Saint Andrews Priory School), Sarah McSweeney (Sr., Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS), Cathy Monahan (Sr., La Grande, OR/La Grande HS) and Sally Venable (Sr., Ventura, CA/Foothill Technology HS).

Freeby was WU's top finisher at the West Regional, as she took ninth place. Greene was 14th and Edwards was 15th. Edwards will be competing at her second straight NCAA championship meet. She qualified as an individual to the 2010 NCAA Championships.

On Saturday, the women's championship race will get underway at 12 p.m. (EST)/9 a.m. (PST). The men's championship race, which will cover 8 kilometers, is set to start at 1 p.m. (EST)/10 a.m. (PST).