NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Freshman
Jill Olson of the Saint Anselm College women's cross country team has been named the Northeast 10 Conference Rookie of the Year, the league office announced Thursday afternoon.
Olson became just the second athlete in program history to earn the honor and the first since 2000, when
Erin Thorpe '04, a member of the Saint Anselm Hall of Fame Class of 2023, was recognized with the same award.
The standout first-year runner had several notable performances throughout the season, consistently finishing in the top three runners for the Hawks.
Olson opened the year with a ninth-place finish at the Shacklette Invitational, recording a time of 26:27.4 in the 6K race and helping the team secure back-to-back first-place team finish for the first time since 1996-97.
Olson continued to impress as the season progressed, setting a personal best in the 5K at the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association (NEICAAA) Championship, where she placed 157th with a time of 20:10.7.
Olson then emerged as the first freshman across all teams competing to cross the finish line at the NE10 Championship, placing 13th overall at 25:04.6.
Her strong performances continued into the postseason, as she was the second freshman to cross the finish line at the NCAA Division II East Region Championship, setting a personal best in the 6K of 23:53.3 and placing 29th overall.
With her impressive season, Olson landed on the NE10 All-Conference Second Team alongside fellow teammates on both the men's and women's side.
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