Cougar Athletics
30 NAIA National Championships
95 GSAC Championships
...and counting

THIS YEAR: Azusa Pacific’s most experienced distance runner, senior Olivia Richert is a 5-time All-American who has competed in 6 NAIA championship meets … Teams with Canterbury to give the Cougars a strong presence in the 1500 … Will also run the 800, 1000 and 3000 … Is critical to the Cougar relays.

2007: Collected her first-ever individual NAIA All-America recognition by finishing fifth in the 1500 at the NAIA outdoors with a personal-record time of 4:34.79, the fifth fastest in program history … Also ran legs on Azusa Pacific’s 4x800 relay that finished third at the NAIA outdoors and fifth at NAIA indoors … Was third in the GSAC 1500 (4:43.72) … Came on strong toward the end of the season and along with her fine 1500 at the NAIAs also posted a career-best time of 2:16.00 in the 800 at the Claremont Classic.

2006: Competed in both the NAIA Indoor and Outdoor Championship Meets , running a leg on the Cougars’ 4x800 relay that finished eighth in the finals ... At the indoor meet, qualified in the 1000, but did not advance out of the prelims ... At the GSAC Championships, finished ninth in the 1500.

2005: In her first year on the college level, collected 3 NAIA All-America honors, all on relays … Ran middle legs on the Cougars’ 4x800 that was the NAIA indoor runner-up and finished sixth at outdoors … Also ran the opening leg on the indoor distance medley relay that finished fourth … At the GSAC Championships, finished eighth in the 5000 (18:48.8).

CROSS COUNTRY: Completed a fine cross country career during the 2007 fall … Appeared in 24 meets during her 4-year Cougar career, including 4 NAIA regional and national championship meets … Was a 2-time All-GSAC honoree, including her 2007 senior campaign when she helped lead the Cougars to the conference title … Recorded a 5K best of 18:28 at the 2006 Willamette Invitational and came back a month later to post an impressive 18:32 on the Woodward Park course of the NAIA Regional ... In her first national competition, ran a 19:30 at the NAIA Championship Meet in Louisville, Ky., finishing 84th overall … Came back as a sophomore at the NAIAs to clock a 19:16 on the same course ... As a 2006 senior, ran a 19:09 to finish 59th at the NAIA nationals … Recorded a 19:03 to finish 86th in 2007.

HIGH SCHOOL: Ran 4 seasons of track & field and cross country at Arapahoe High in Littleton, Colo. … Was a 4-time all-league and 3-time all-region first team honoree … Competed in 4 Colorado 5A cross country state meets, finishing in the top 40 3 different years … As a senior at the state 5A track & field meet, finished ninth in the 3,200 with an 11:50.58.

PERSONAL: Born Aug. 28, 1986, in Denver, Colo., to John (banker) and Barbara Richert … Has 1 sister (Kathryn) … Majoring in communication … Involved in FCA and Young Life in high school … Enjoys snowboarding and hang gliding.

RICHERT BESTS AT AZUSA PACIFIC
Year       800        1000         1500        Mile        5000
2005     2:21.20     3:01.35     4:47.77         -        18:35.62
2006     2:21.09     3:02.20     4:49.36         -           -     
2007     2:16.00                 3:43.79      5:29.59        -