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

SALEM, ORE. -- Michaela Freeby (So., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) from Willamette University has been selected Northwest Conference Women's Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week for her accomplishments as a runner at the 38th Annual Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 29.

Freeby placed seventh out of 212 runners in the Women's Cardinal 5K Race and was the second runner from NCAA Division III to complete the course. She helped Willamette place sixth in the team standings, as the Bearcats achieved the top finish by a Division III team.The Cardinal Race included runners from NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III.

In addition, Freeby's time of 18:22.09 was about two seconds away from Willamette's all-time Top 10 at the 5-kilometer distance.

Freeby earned fifth place at last year's Northwest Conference Championships to claim First Team All-NWC honors as a freshman. She also achieved First Team All-West Region honors by placing ninth at the 2011 West Regional. Her efforts helped WU take second place at the NWC Championships as well as at the West Regional.

By finishing second at the Regional, Willamette attained an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships. Freeby was one of seven Bearcats on the women's team to compete at the national race, where she was WU's top finisher. She helped the Bearcats place 29th in the team standings.

Last week, the Willamette women's cross country team was ranked 33rd in the nation in NCAA Division III. The Bearcats will not compete this weekend, but will send runners to two meets over the weekend of Oct. 12-13.

On Oct. 12, the Bearcats will run at the Mike Hodges Invitational at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Ore. On Oct. 13, Willamette will compete at the Brooks Invitational in Winneconne, Wis. The event will be hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.