Willamette Track and Field Teams to Compete at John Knight Twilight

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Track and field athletes from Willamette University will participate in the John Knight Twilight on Friday, April 10 at Western Oregon University. Action will get underway at 1 p.m. (PDT) with the hammer throw. Running events will start at 4 p.m.

Willamette has six athletes ranked in the top 20 of the NCAA Division III performance list through April 9.

Olivia Mancl (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) is ranked #5 in the women's 1,500-meter run. Her top time is 4:34.71, which she recorded at the Willamette Invitational on March 28.

Three Bearcats are included in the top 5 of the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. Michaela Freeby (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) leads the nation with a personal record time of 10:30.09, placing her 4.92 seconds in front of defending national champion Lucy Cheadle from Washington University, whose top time this year is 10:35.01.

Taylor Ostrander (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS) of Willamette is ranked #3 in the steeplechase at 10:52.24. Hannah Bressler (Jr., Oak Harbor, WA/Oak Harbor HS) holds the #5 ranking at 10:59.31.

Maura Forbush (So., Hollister, CA/San Benito HS) is listed at #14 for the Bearcats in the women's 400-meter dash at 57.95 seconds.

Willamette's Meka Townsend (Jr., Okanogan, WA/Okanogan HS) is #14 in the women's javelin throw. Her best throw so far this year went 131' 4" during the Willamette vs. Corban Dual on March 19.