Bend, Ore.- Freshman Kathleen Mansure (Boone, N.C./Wautuga) placed fifth in the women's junior division of the USATF Cross Country Championships Saturday morning to earn a spot representing the USA at the APA Pan American Cross Country Cup in Caraballeda, Venezuela, March 5.

The freshman standout competed in a field of 15 elite junior runners from across the country including Jacqueline Garner of UCLA and Katie Spencer of Oklahoma State. Mansure finished fifth overall in the 6,000-meter race at Rivers Edge Golf Course.

Mansure becomes the first runner from UNCG to qualify for the APA PanAm Cross Country Cup on either the men's or women's side.

In a breakout rookie season, Mansure was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year while earning First Team All-SoCon and All-Freshman team accolades with a fourth place finish at the league championships October 31, 2015.