Bearcats Attain Quality Results during Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field

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

EUGENE, Ore. -- Several Willamette University track and field athletes earned quality results at Hayward Field during the Oregon Twilight on Friday, May 8. Among those recording solid times on the track were Kylea Johnson (Jr., Onalaska WA/Onalaska HS), Michaela Freeby (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS), Olivia Mancl (So./Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) and Daniel Swanson (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS).

Johnson registered a time of 12.56 seconds in the women's 100-meter dash. Her time was close to her personal record of 12.42 set at the OSU High Performance Meet one week ago, and was also near her previous top result of 12.53 seconds at the 2014 Willamette Invitational.

Freeby completed the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase in 10:41.41. Freeby's top time -- which leads NCAA Division III this season -- is 10:30.09 at the San Francisco State Distance Carnival on April 3. Former Willamette runner Kimber Mattox ('11) won the steeplechase at the Oregon Twilight with a time of 10:07.62

In the women's 1,500-meter run, Mancl achieved a time of 4:36.16. Her career-best time is 4:34.64 at last week's OSU HIgh Performance Meet. In the men's 1,500, Swanson was timed at 3:57.77. He owns a personal record of 3:56.42 at the West Coast Invitational on May 9, 2013.

Other Top Performances for the Bearcats:

Freeby was one of three current Willamette runners who competed in the women's steeplechase. Taylor Ostrander (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS) earned a time of 11:05.82 and Hannah Bressler (Jr., Oak Harbor, WA/Oak Harbor HS) was clocked at 11:12.60.

Yonny Castillo (Jr., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley HS) put up a time of 9:00.46 in the men's 3,000-meter run.

Maura Forbush (So., Hollister, CA/San Benito HS) was timed at 59.49 seconds in the women's 400-meter dash.

Hannah Swanson (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) completed the 1,500-meter run in 4:42.32.

Meka Townsend (Jr., Okanogan, WA/Okanogan HS) entered the women's javelin throw and recorded a distance of 125' 6".

Also of Note:

Former Willamette runner Jordyn Smith ('08) earned a time of 4:26.38 in the women's 1,500-meter run invitational section.