Student-Athlete of the Week presented by GEICO May 4, 2009

Freshman track and field student-athlete Octavia Rinehardt has been named the American University Student-Athlete of the Week presented by GEICO, Department of Athletics officials announced Monday. Rinehardt won the women's 5000 meter run on Saturday at the 2009 Patriot League Outdoor Track and Field Championships to earn the first conference title of her young career.

Rinehardt won the 5000 with an EC4A/ECAC qualifying time of 17:17.11, finishing a full 14 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Rinehardt trailed Navy's Amy Watson heading into the final lap of the race but was able to catch Watson and easily pulled away for the win. Her time represents a new personal best for the freshman and is the fifth fastest time in AU history. She is the first woman to win an outdoor PL Championship for American since 2006 and earned First Team All-PL honors with the victory.

This is the second time Rinehardt has received the AU Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by GEICO. She was honored on October 28, 2008, after placing second in the Lafayette Invitational.