By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University outdoor track and field teams will begin the 2017 season when they host the Willamette Opener at Charles Bowles Track on Saturday, Feb. 4. Action will begin with field events at 10 a.m. (PDT). Running events will get underway at 11 a.m.

Willamette athletes will be competing against opponents from several colleges and universities. Other teams participating include Colorado College, Corban University, University of Portland, Western Oregon University. In addition, the University of Oregon Running Club will be competing, along with several other club and unattached athletes.

The Bearcats have three returning athletes who competed at the NCAA Division III Championships last season. They are Olivia Mancl (Sr./Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS), Hannah Swanson (Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) from the women's team and Patrick Loftus (Jr., Santa Rosa, CA/Sonoma Academy) on the men's team.

Mancl placed 19th in the 5,000-meter run at the 2016 NCAA Championships after overcoming injuries during the season.  Last year, she set a personal record and moved into second place on Willamette's all-time list in the 5,000 with a time of 16:46.99 at the Willamette Invitational. She took ninth place at the NCAA Championships in the 1,500-meter run in 2015.

Swanson finished 13th overall in the 1,500-meter run at last year's NCAA Championships. She was fifth in her preliminary heat. Swanson finished second in the 1,500 at the 2016 NWC Championships. Her personal record time in the event was earned at the Portland Twilight on May 15, 2016, when she finished the race in 9:33.03.

Loftus earned 19th place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during the 2016 NCAA Championships. He placed second at last year's NWC Championships. He recorded a career-best time of 9:07.03 in the steeplechase at the West Coast Invitational on May 12, 2016.