ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Butler junior Mara Olson wrapped up a successful weekend in Albuquerque, N.M., with a tenth place individual finish in the women's 3,000 meter run at the 2014 NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship.  She became the first Butler female to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championship.

Olson, competing in the final women's individual running event of the weekend, finished the national championship race at the Albuquerque Convention Center in 9:24.86.  She went out quickly and led the race for the first 400 meters, before settling into a pace that kept her with the front group for most of the remaining distance.  

The Butler school record-holder in the event finished just over 10 seconds off the pace of national champ Abbey D'Agostino of Dartmouth, who claimed the title in 9:14.47.  Seven seconds separated Olson from a "Top 5" finish.

While she didn't earn a medal in her competition, Olson will be returning to Indianapolis with some impressive hardware.  The Butler standout received the NCAA's "Elite 89"  Academic Achievement Award prior to the start of the meet.  The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 89 championships.

Olson, a biology major, is the second Butler athlete to earn the prestigious NCAA academic honor.  Former men's basketball player Matt Howard earned the award twice, while leading Butler to the NCAA national championship game in both 2010 and 2011.