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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University runner Michaela Freeby (So., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) finished seventh in the Women's Cardinal 5K Race and Parker Bennett (Jr., Sisters, OR/Sisters HS) of Willamette placed 15th in the Men's Cardinal 8K Race at the 38th Annual Charles Bowles Invitational at Bush's Pasture Park.

Former Willamette runner, 7-time NCAA track and field champion and two-time Summer Olympics competitor Nick Symmonds ('06) was the honorary starter for the Cardinal Races. At the conclusion of the Cardinal Races, a statue of long-time Willamette cross country and track and field coach Charles Bowles was dedicated near the finish line.

The University of Portland (Ore.) won the men's Cardinal team title with a near-perfect score of 16 (1-2-3-4-6). Oregon State University claimed the women's Cardinal team championship with a score of 28 (2-3-6-8-9).

Lars Erik Malde of Portland claimed the men's individual Cardinal championship with a winning time of 24:20.08. He crossed the finish line just over 10 seconds in front of teammate Josh Gorecki, who took second place in 24:39.42. Charlie McDonald of Portland was third in 24:46.91 and Cody Wells of the Pilots was fourth at 24:47.57.

Fifth place went to Bruk Assefa from San Francisco State University (Calif.) with a time of 25:05.41. Bennett's time for the Bearcats in 15th place was 25:30.23.

Bennett was the third NCAA Division III athlete to finish the race. The top Division III time was registered by Micheale Tesema from Augsburg College (Minn.), who took ninth place in 25:20.88. Raymond Gamache of Christopher Newport University (Va.) was 13th in 25:27.89.

In the women's Cardinal Race, the individual winner was Amber Rozcicha from Portland State University, as she completed the 5-kilometer course in 17:46.70. Sandra Martinez of Oregon State was second in 18:04.70. Kelsi Schaer, also from OSU, was third with a time of 18:16.97.

Boise State University runner Breanna Perrone took fourth in the women's Cardinal Race in 18:18.85. Lauren Rice of Augsburg, the top NCAA Division III finisher, was fifth in 18:19.51. Kira Kelly of OSU was sixth at 18:22.09 and Freeby of Willamette was seventh at 18:22.84.

Following Portland in the men's Cardinal team standings was Boise State with a score of 111. San Francisco State was third at 129, Seattle Pacific University (Wash.) was fourth at 203 and Willamette was fifth at 210. University of Puget Sound took sixth at 212 and Northwest Nazarene University (Idaho) was seventh at 214.

Rounding out the top 10 men's teams were Whitworth University in eighth at 221, Creighton University (Neb.) in ninth at 252 and Christopher Newport in 10th at 282. A total of 19 teams competed in the men's Cardinal Race.

Bennett's 15th place finish paced the Bearcats. Yonny Castillo (Fr., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley HS) of Willamette was 34th overall in 26:09.57. Nathan Conrad (Fr., Bothell, WA/Bothell HS) took 45th in 26:20.09, while Kit Kingstad (Jr., Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS) was 57th with a time of 26:30.09. Jacob Shafi (Fr., Pleasanton, CA/Amador Valley HS) placed 64th at 26:40.15.

Oregon State was followed by Boise State in second place in the women's Cardinal team standings. Boise State earned a score of 96. University of Portland was third at 176 and Portland State University (Ore.) was fourth at 189. Seattle Pacific took fifth with a score of 192 and Willamette was sixth at 210. Linfield College achieved seventh place at 248.

Completing the top 10 among the women's teams in the Cardinal Race were Northwest Nazarene in eight place at 263, Whitworth University in ninth place at 271 and Creighton in 10th place at 283.

For the Bearcat women's team, Freeby's seventh place finish led the way. Annie Marinello (So., Corvallis, OR/Philomath HS) placed 47th in 19:09.80 for Willamette.

The next three Bearcats were separated from each other by just five placings, as Juliet Farnan (Fr., Lafayette, CA/Campolindo HS) was 57th in 19:15.81, Theresa Edwards (Sr., Lake Tapps, WA/Bonney Lake HS) was 59th in 19:17.84 and Stevie Gildehaus (Jr., Spokane Valley, WA/University HS) was 62nd as she crossed the finish line in 19:19.46.

In the Men's Gold 8K Race, unattached runner Matthew Clowes took first place by completing the course in 24:09.43. Justin Rocereto, also unattached, placed second in 24:41.68. Dave Marks of Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) was third in 24:26.05.

University of British Columbia (Canada) and Concordia University (Ore.) tied for the men's team title in the Gold Race. UBC and Concordia each scored 91. Lewis-Clark State was third in the team standings at 110.

Former Willamette runner Kimber Mattox ('11), who competed unattached, won the Women's Gold 5K Race in 17:17.99. Karlee Coffey from Eastern Oregon University was second at 17:21.56. She was followed by Linsie Michels from Concordia in third at 17:50.33.

British Columbia earned the women's team championship in the Gold Race with a score of 64. Everett Community College placed second at 83 and Northwest Christian University (Ore.) was third at 127.