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

OREGON CITY, ORE. -- Kellen Friedrich (Fr., Salem, OR/South Salem HS) of Willamette University finished eighth overall in the women's 5-kilometer race at the Mike Hodges Invitational, hosted by Clackamas Community College on Friday, Oct. 12.

Willamette sent four women and six men to the meet. The top men's finisher for the Bearcats was Hunter Matthies (Moran, WY/Jackson Hole HS), who took 20th place in 22:47.60.

In the women's race, Sam Lewis, competing unattached, achieved first place in 18:57.05. The next five finishers were from Oregon State University, led by Whitney Pitman in second place at 19:20.59. Following the string of OSU runners was Christa Collmer from Mount Hood Community College in seventh place at 20:15.38. Friedrich followed in eighth place with a time of 20:35.52 for the Bearcats.

Oregon State University won the women's title with a perfect score of 15. WU did not field a full team in the women's race.

Friedrich was one of three Bearcats among the top 15 runners in the women's competition. Hannah Bressler (Fr., Oak Harbor, WA/Oak Harbor HS) was 11th in 20:48.52. Erynn Rebol (Jr., Cottonwood, CA/Red Bluff Union HS) took 15th place in 21:07.63. Overall, 45 runners compete in the women's race.

Clackamas Community College claimed the men's team title with a score of 15, as CCC had the top five collegiate finishers. The Bearcat men's team took fourth place with a score of 113.

The men's individual champion was Anteneh Woticha, who ran unattached and registered a time of 21:09.86 over the 4-mile course. Badane Sultessa from Clackamas CC crossed the finish line in second place in 21:14.25. Third place was earned by unattached runner Danny Mackey.

Three Bearcats were in the top 30 of the men's race. Finishing just two places behind Hunter for the Bearcats was Max Craddock (So., Wichita, KS/Wichita Collegiate School) in 22nd place at 22:53.24. Quinn Lindley (So., Monmouth, OR/Central HS) took 30th in 23:09.11. A total of 65 athletes participated in the men's event.

An additional eight men and eight women will compete for the Bearcats at the Brooks Invitational, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, on Saturday, Oct. 13 in Winneconne, Wis. The action is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. CDT/8:30 a.m. PDT.