Jan. 12, 2012

KINGSTON, R.I. – Heidi (Westerling) Westover, a 2005 University of Rhode Island graduate and former women's track & field and cross country student-athlete, will be running this Saturday in the USA Olympic Marathon Trials, taking place in Houston, Texas. Westover will be one of more than 300 of America's top distance runners competing for a chance to represent Team USA at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

A total of 223 women and 158 men earned qualifying times allowing them to compete in the Trials, according to the USA Track & Field website. In addition to a place on Team USA, athletes will be contending for a prize totaling $250,000 in each race, plus bonuses. The women's and men's champion will each take home $50,000.

The race will be broadcast from 3-5 p.m. EST on NBC. This is the first time that comprehensive coverage of both the women's and men's Olympic Trials have been televised on the same day.

Westover holds school records for indoor track & field in the 3,000m (9:41.11) and 5,000m (16:53.64) and for outdoor track & field in the 5,000m (16:40.41) and 10,000m (34:23.32).

In track & field, Westover won five Atlantic 10 individual titles – two in the 5,000m and three in the 10,000m. She was a member of seven Atlantic 10 championship teams, was named the Atlantic 10 outdoor Rookie of the Year in 2001 and the Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year in 2005.

In cross-country, Westover was all-conference in 2004, finishing second, and was academic all-conference in 2004 and 2002.