Megan Venables Hometown: Laurel Springs, N.J. High School: Highland Regional Birthdate: 07/18/1993 Cl./Elig.: So./So.

On Venables: Strong member of the Wildcats group of distance runners ... Comes off a successful freshman season and will have a chance to consistently help the team in meets during the coming year ... Capable of being a regular BIG EAST scorer.

2012 Cross Country: Ran in each of the team's six scored meets during the season and was in the Wildcats top five on four occasions ... Posted a career-best time of 21:24 and finished in 53rd place (fifth on the team) at the Paul Short Run ... Was the fourth Villanova runner at both the Pre-NCAA Meet (21:34.3) and the BIG EAST Championships (22:01.11) ... Individually was 99th and 28th overall at those two meets ... Came in fifth on the team and registered a time of 21:58 at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional ... Crossed the finish line in 21:40.9 at the NCAA Championships, coming in sixth on the team and 219th overall.

2012 Outdoor: Made a successful debut in the 10000 meters ... Scored team points for Villanova at the BIG EAST Championships with a sixth place finish and a time of 35:37.48 in her first collegiate 10K race ... Lowered her time to a personal best of 35:26.85 at the ECAC Championship and finished in third place ... Ran the 5000 meters twice and established a personal best time of 17:03.65 at the Colonial Relays ... Came in 19th at the Larry Ellis Invitational (17:05.54) ... Finished 10th out of 114 runners in the 1500 meters at the Danny Curran Invitational with a time of 4:47.32 ... Opened the season at the Big Five Invite, where she ran the 800 meters (2:34.62) and the 1500 meters (4:49.77).

2012 Indoor: Qualified for the BIG EAST Championships in the 5000 meters and came in 16th at the conference meet (17:32.29) ... Earned her spot at the BIG EAST meet with a time of 17:27.29 at the Penn State National, where she came in fifth in the invitational section of the event ... Ran the 3000 meters three times early in the season and he top mark was 10:11.53 in an eighth place finish at the Great Dane Classic ... Also came in second at the Jack Pyrah Invitational (10:20.33) and third at the NYC Gotham Cup (10:17.79).

2011 Cross Country: Came in ninth on the team and was 73rd overall at the BIG EAST Championships, where she registered a 6K time of 22:34.1 ... Finished fifth out of 19 runners with a three-mile time of 17:34.41 at the Main Line Invitational ... Placed 122nd overall with a time of 22:25 on the 6K course at the Paul Short Run ... Ran in the "B" race at the Wisconsin adidas Invitational and came in 55th.

Highland Regional High School: All-American indoors in the 5000 meters as a junior ... All-American and New Jersey state champion in cross country as a senior ... State champion in the 3200 meters as a senior ... Named the Gatorade New Jersey Runner of the Year in 2010 ... Selected as the South Jersey Runner of the Year as a senior in both cross country and indoor track.

Personal: Born 7/18/93 ... Daughter of Diane and Keith Venables.

PERSONAL BESTS

800 Meters               2:34.62           2012 Big Five Invite
1500 Meters              4:47.32           2012 Danny Curran Invitational
3000 Meters              9:45              High School
3000 Meters              9:45              High School
5000 Meters              17:03.65          2012 Colonial Relays
10000 Meters             35:26.85          2012 ECAC Championship
6000 Meters (XC)         21:24             2012 Paul Short Run

CAREER AWARDS (Academics)

USTFCCCA All-Academic Team                 2011-12
BIG EAST Academic All-Star                 2011-12

BIG EAST TOP 8 FINISHES

10000 Meters             6th               2012 Outdoor