Mancl Chosen as NWC Women's Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Olivia Mancl (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) of Willamette University has been named the Northwest Conference Women's Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week for the week ending on Oct. 5. Mancl won the award for her efforts at the 40th Annual Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Mancl placed third overall and was the top NCAA Division III finisher in the Women's Cardinal 5-kilometer race. She earned a personal record time fo 17:57.8, breaking the 18-minute mark for the first time in her career. Her previous top time was 18:00.3 at the 2013 Oak Knoll Loop Run.

On Saturday, Mancl led the Bearcats to second place in the Women's Cardinal team standings with a score of 52, just seven points behind Chico State from NCAA Division II. The Bearcats' top three runners combined for a 2-4-6 finish among scorers.

Taylor Ostrander (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS) of Willamette was fifth overall and fourth among scorers. Michaela Freeby (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) of WU took seventh overall and was sixth among scorers.

The Bearcats will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 18 at two meets. A group of Bearcats will compete at the Brooks Invitational in Winneconne, Wis., while other WU runners will participate in the Lewis & Clark Invitational in Portland, Ore. The Brooks Invitational will start at 10:30 a.m. (CDT)/8:30 a.m. (PDT) and the L&C Invitational will begin at 11 a.m. (PDT).