FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason cross country and track & field alumni Bethany Sachtleben and Everrett Hackett will compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon on Saturday, Feb. 29 in Atlanta, Ga. 
 
The Olympics Trials, beginning at noon on Saturday, will decide the first three American athletes heading to the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The event features just under 700 of the country's top runners and will start and finish in the Centennial Olympic Park.
 
Sachtleben, wearing Bib No. 23, won the silver medal in the women's marathon at the Pan American Games on July 27, 2019, with a personal best time of 2:31:20, to qualify for the event. 
 
Hackett, donning Bib No. 236, qualified for the Olympic Trials at the 2019 California International Marathon with a time of 2:18.56. 
 
"For our sport, the Olympics are obviously the pinnacle so being in the hunt for a berth on the team is a tremendous step," said head coach Andrew Gerard. "The marathon is not something that is an event at the NCAA level, but for both Bethany and Everett it has been a fantastic avenue, post-collegiately, for them to continue their competitive careers.
 
"Bethany has had the chance to represent the US internationally [as a member of the 2019 Pan-Am Games team, where she won the silver medal], don the uniform and stand on the starting line with "USA" on your chest which is not something very many people can say they've done," said Gerard. 
 
As a professional runner, Sachtleben placed sixth in the half marathon at the 2019 National Half Marathon Championships, second in the 15k at the 2019 National Road Running Championships and sixth in the marathon at the 2018 National Marathon Championships. 
 
Sachtleben won four individual Atlantic 10 titles during her collegiate career in Fairfax, including a 2015 cross country triumph in which she ran a collegiate 5K PR of 16:54.60. A two-time NCAA preliminary qualifier in track, Sacthleben won two 5000m Atlantic 10 Championships during her career and also captured the indoor 3000m crown in 2015.
 
Hackett, a former cross country and distance standout at Mason, broke the school record in the 5000m with a time of 14:03.16 in 2012, a record that stood for four years. He also ran the program's second-fastest time in the 10,000m (29:43.27) and indoor 3000m (8:09.35). He was a two-time IC4A champion at Mason, earning gold in cross country and the 5000m.
 
"The Trials this weekend are a chance to continue the pursuit of that dream for both of them," said Gerard. "We're thrilled to have two of our best alums lining up and taking their shot."
 
Live results for the event can be found here.