Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons To Run In Saturday's Toledo Invitational
September 18, 2003 | Men's Cross Country
Sept. 18, 2003
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University cross country teams, after concluding the home portion of the schedule last weekend, will not have to venture very far for this weekend's races. The Falcons of head coach Cami Wells will make the short trip north for the inaugural Toledo Cross Country Invitational. The six-race schedule includes the collegiate women's five-kilometer race at 10:15 a.m. and the men's 8K race at 11:40 a.m. The invitational will be held at Ottawa Park Golf Course on Bancroft Street, across the street from the University of Toledo campus.
SPECTATOR PARKING & DIRECTIONS
There is limited parking available at the Ottawa Park tennis courts, across Ottawa Park drive from the Ottawa Park Golf Course. There is free parking available on the UT campus in Lot 2. From Secor Road, take a left onto Bancroft. At the third light, take a right into the UT campus. On the left, as you go down the small hill, you will see the parking deck and parking lot for Lot 2. You can walk to the Ottawa Park Golf Course by walking back up to Bancroft St., taking a right and heading down to Maxwell's Coffee Shop. Walk across Bancroft and enter the golf course at the opening in the gate to the right.
ADMISSION
The press of admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. The only two spectator entrances into the golf course are off Bancroft, across the street from Maxwell's Coffee and the 7-11. There is also a spectator entrance at the main entrance to Ottawa Park Golf Course off Ottawa Park Drive where the teams will enter to park.
TEAM PARKING
Team parking will be at the Ottawa Park Golf Course Club House parking lot. (This lot is closed to spectator parking.) To reach this lot, turn onto Ottawa Park Drive/Parkside Road (north when coming from Bancroft Street). Take the first left into the golf course.
RACE SCHEDULE
9:30 a.m. - High School Boys Blue Division (5K) 10:15 a.m. - Collegiate/Open Women's (5K) 10:55 a.m. - H.S. Girls Blue Division (5K) 11:40 a.m. - Collegiate/Open Men's (8K) 12:20 p.m. - H.S. Boys Gold Division (5K) 12:55 p.m. - H.S. Girls Gold Division (5K) 1:45 p.m. - Awards
Saturday's meet marks the first cross country invitational in UT's history. On the men's side, the Falcons' scheduled opposition will be comprised entirely of Mid-American Conference foes in Akron, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Ohio and host UT. The BGSU women are slated to run against KSU, OU, UT, Cleveland State and Michigan. Each race should have approximately 60 runners, and no team scores will be kept.
The BGSU women are coming off a second-place finish at last weekend's Mel Brodt Invitational, the Falcons' final home action of the season. The BG men were 12th at that meet.
"For the women, Toledo will once again be the team to beat," said Wells. "They were picked to win the league, and they have a strong squad. We are looking forward to facing UT, as well as running against the other MAC schools. We have had a very good week of practice."
"On the men's side, Kent State has a strong squad. It is important for us to match up well with the other MAC schools. This will be a big test for us.
"The men were given a wake-up call last weekend, and now it is time for them to get out there on Saturday and race as a team. Our objective at this point is building team unity and focusing on accountability. We have a young squad with a lot of potential, and it is up to us now to continue to work hard and built a strong team."
Following the race at UT, the Falcons will head to Kalamazoo, Mich., for the Central Collegiate Championships on Friday, Sept. 26.
