Pepperdine Distance Runners Open Competition at Beach Invitational

LONG BEACH, Calif. – In her final college event, senior Katie Engel of the Pepperdine track team took first place in her heat of the women’s 5,000 meters on Friday at the Beach Invitational.

Engel ran 17:38.08 to beat the other 17 competitors in the race. Combining the two heats, she came in 12th place overall out of 34 runners. A four-year standout, Engel had been Pepperdine’s top cross country runner the past three years and holds the school track records in the mile and 10,000 meters.

Freshman Nick Heath (Scotts Valley, Calif./Scotts Valley HS) wrapped up a brilliant first year at