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

CANTON, N.Y. -- Willamette University will be represented by four women's track and field athletes when the 2015 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships begin on Thursday, May 21 at St. Lawrence University in upstate New York. The NCAA Championships will continue at Merrick-Pinkard Track through Saturday, May 23.

Three of the Bearcats are among the 22 competitors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. They are Michaela Freeby (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS), Taylor Ostrander (Jr., Kenai, AK/Kenai Central HS) and Hannah Bressler (Jr., Oak Harbor, WA/Oak Harbor HS).

Olivia Mancl (So./Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) will be participating in the 1,500-meter run. She is one of 22 runners in the event.

The 1,500 is scheduled to begin with two preliminary heats on Thursday starting at 3:45 p.m. EDT/12:45 p.m. PDT. The top four runners in each heat, plus runners with the next four fastest times, will advance into the final. Saturday's championship race is slated for 1:30 p.m. EDT/10:30 a.m. PDT.

In the 3,000-meter steeplechase, there will be two preliminary heats on Thursday, with the first set for 5:20 p.m. EDT/2:20 p.m. PDT. The top four finishers in each heat, plus runners with the next six fastest times, will move into the final. The finalists will compete on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. EDT/9:30 a.m. PDT.

This is the fourth NCAA track and field championship meet for Freeby. She placed 13th in the steeplechase in 2012, earned All-America status with a fourth place finish in 2013, and took 17th place in 2014 despite recovering from an injury. Ostrander is making her third appearance. She was 22nd in the steeplechase in 2013 and placed 11th in 2014.

Bressler and Mancl are competing at the NCAA track and field championships for the first time.