Hall of Athletic Honor
Whether it was on the cross country course or on the track, Frieda Behrens set a pace that few could match while leading both programs in one of their most successful eras in school history.
At the time of her graduation, Behrens had made her mark as the top female long distance runner in Gettysburg history, as her school records in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meters did attest. She earned all-conference honors three times in cross country and twice in track, highlighted by a conference 10,000-meter title as a sophomore. She also garnered all-region honors twice in cross country, including a sixth-place finish at the 1992 NCAA Mideast Regional.
In cross country, Behrens led the Bullets to a 26-3 dual meet record, including an undefeated 7-0 season in 1992. She also paced her team to a runner-up finish at the 1991 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships, equaling the program’s best finish in school history at that point.
Behrens’ stellar performances on the track also propelled Gettysburg to team success. In 1993, the Bullets finished an impressive third among 18 teams at the MAC Championships, where Behrens won the 10,000 meters in a school-record and NCAA-qualifying time.
A native of Union, N.J., Behrens graduated from Gettysburg in 1995 with a degree in health and physical education.
