Kallie Nixon finished third out of 16 as the only Division III runner in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at Princeton's Sam Howell Invitational on April 4, 2014. (File photo by Tom Leonard '78)

HADLEY, Mass. -- Bates senior Kallie Nixon was named NESCAC Women's Track Performer of the Week, announced by the New England Small College Athletic Conference on Monday.

Nixon (Medfield, Mass.) was cited for her outstanding performance at the Sam Howell Invitational at Princeton University on Friday in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The only Division III athlete in the field, during the course of the race Nixon moved up from last place and finally finished third out of 16 athletes overall and second among collegians, with a personal-best time of 10:38.63.

Nixon, who placed 13th in the steeplechase at the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, chopped 12.57 seconds off of her previous personal best time of 10:51.20 and moved into third place among all Division III athletes in the event so far this season. Already second on Bates' all-time performance list in the event, Nixon moved within shouting distance of the team record, 10:33.20, set by Kathryn Moore in 2007.

Nixon was the only Division III athlete running in the race. She passed runners from Maryland, Syracuse, Buffalo, Penn, Brown, Cornell, Columbia and Harvard before crossing the finish line 1.67 seconds behind top collegian Sarah Delozier of Dartmouth.

From the Bates men's team, senior John Wisener (Ridgewood, N.J.) was named NESCAC Men's Field Performer of the Week as well.

NESCAC Track & Field Weekly Release #2