Bowling Green State University Athletics
Cami Wells Named Women's Track And Field Coach At BGSU
August 07, 2006 | Women's Track and Field
Aug. 7, 2006
Bowling Green, Ohio - Bowling Green State University Director of Athletics Greg Christopher has announced that men's and women's cross country coach Cami Wells will also assume the role of head coach for the women's track and field team. Wells, who will be the seventh head coach in women's track history, is entering her eighth season overall at Bowling Green as head coach for the women's cross country team and her fifth season as head coach for the men's cross country team.
"Cami has provided strong leadership during her time at BGSU and we believe she is the right person to move the program in a positive direction," said Christopher. "She knows our student-athletes as well as anyone and brings instant credibility and continuity as she puts her signature on the entire program."
Wells has been able to create an environment where students can be successful both in competition and in the classroom and has elevated her teams to success at the regional and national level.
Since coming to BGSU, Wells has coached athletes to 23 top-eight places at the MAC Championships in track and field ranging from the 400-meters to the 10,000-meters and several relays. She has had one NCAA provisional qualifier in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, as well as one USA Track and Field Championship qualifier in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Wells has also has coached 10 school record holders, four in track and six in cross country.
Academically, Wells' athletes have been outstanding. In the spring of 2006, the WICCCA (Women's intercollegiate Cross Country Coaches Association) named BGSU as an All-Academic institution for the fifth straight year.
"I want to thank Greg Christopher, Janna Blais and Sid Sink for having faith in my ability to lead the women's track and field team," said Wells. "I am completely committed to living up to my supervisors' expectations and the expectations of the student athletes. I sincerely believe in the abilities of the fine student athletes that we have on the team and look forward to the challenge of building on that foundation. I am entering my eighth year with the BGSU Cross Country and Track and Field programs and feel very positive about the future for all of the teams. I appreciate all the support I have been given from the student athletes, the parents, the alumni and the athletic department staff over the past seven years."
While at Drake University, Wells was a standout athlete earning several honors during her four years. She captained both the cross country and track teams while at Drake and earned all-conference honors a total of eight times and medaled a total of sixteen times. In 1992, she was an NCAA cross country national qualifier and earned All-Region honors. She was a three-time Missouri Valley Conference track champion, winning twice in the 3,000-meters and once as a member of the 4x800-meter relay team. She held the conference record in the 3,000-meters and a member of the 4x800-meter relay team that set the conference record in 1993.
From 1997 to 1999, Wells spent her years at Wichita State University. She coached several athletes to conference honors. She coached two conference track championships, one conference cross country champion and once cross country national qualifier. She also had a total of eight medal winners in distances ranging from 1,500-meters to 10,000-meters in track. In 1997, as an assistant coach, the WSU women's track team won the Missouri Valley Conference Championship in cross country.
Wells began as a graduate assistant coach, at WSU was promoted to a full-time assistant coach and ultimately was named the head men's and women's cross country coach as well as assistant track coach.
Prior to her stint at Wichita State, Wells was a volunteer coach at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, N.D. (1997), and an assistant cross country coach at Blaine (Minn.) High School.
Wells, a native of Dickinson, attended Drake University and obtained a bachelor's degree in biology in 1995. She received her master's degree in sports administration four years later from Wichita State.
"Cami will do an outstanding job and I could not be more excited for her," said Sid Sink, Assistant AD for Compliance and chair of the search committee for this position. "She has the outstanding qualities you need to lead, develop and build a quality program."
Wells's List of Accomplishments since coming to BGSU
MAC Track Placers--Individual Events (23) Jamie Roflow 2nd 5K, 2006 Jamie Roflow 2nd Steeple, 2006 Joy Echler 3rd Steeple, 2001 Amber Culp 3rd Steeple, 2003 Jamie Roflow 3rd 5K, indoor 2006 Jamie Roflow 4th 3K, indoor 2006 Jamie Roflow 4th Steeple, 2005 Amber Culp 4th Steeple, 2004 Lisa Mariea 4th 3K, indoor 2001 Lisa Mariea 4th 5K. indoor 2001 Tamika Dixon 5th 400m, 2002 Joy Echler 5th 5K, 2001 Kim Settle 6th Steeple, 2006 Christine Thompson 6th 800m, 2000 Christine Thompson 6th 1500m, 2002 Stephanie Hillman 7th 10K, 2005 Jamie Roflow 7th 5K, 2005 Briana Killian 7th 800m, indoor 2002 Melissa Krueger 8th mile, indoor 2005 Melissa Krueger 8th 1500m, 2005 Amber Culp 8th Steeple, 2002 Stephanie Hillman 8th Steeple, 2006 Christine Thompson 8th 1500m, 2001
MAC Placers--Relays (7) 4 X 400m 2nd Taylor, Houpe, Alkire, Dixon, 2002 DMR 3rd Echler, Houpe, Schweiterman, Thompson, indoor 2001 4 X 100m 3rd Taylor, Houpe, Alkire, Dixon, 2002 4 X 400m 5th Taylor, Houpe, Alkire, Dixon, indoor 2002 DMR 6th Killian, McGowan, Paine, Culp, indoor 2003 DMR 7th Settle, Tukes, Springer, Krueger, indoor 2004 4 X 400m 7th Springer, Krueger, White, Walker, 2005
All MAC Track & Field Jamie Roflow (2006)
All-MAC Cross Country (3) Jamie Roflow, 2005 Rogers Kipchumba, 2005 Amber Culp, 2003
Academic All-MAC--Track (4) Jamie Roflow (2), 2006 Melissa Krueger, 2004 Amber Culp, 2004 Christy Paine, 2003
Academic All-MAC--Cross Country (3) Jamie Roflow, 2005 Christy Paine (2), 2001, 2002 Kristin Spicer, 2001
Verizon Academic All-District IV Track & Cross Country (3) Christy Paine, 2003 Katrina Kerns, 2003 Kristin Spicer, 2003
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Track & Cross Country (1) Stephanie Hillman, 2006
Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year Christy Paine, 2002
Senior Scholar Athlete of the Year Katrina Kerns, 2003
- Women's Cross Country Team Regionally ranked in 2003 & 2004.
- Joy Echler was Ranked 10th in the world in the steeplechase in the spring of 2001.
- One NCAA provisional qualifier in the 3000-meter steeplechase.
- One USA Track and Field Championship qualifier 3000m steeplechase.
- Three NCAA Regional Qualifiers in the 3000-meter steeplechase and one in the 5000m.
- Coached nine school record holders four in cross country and five in track including the 3000m steeplechase, 4 X 400-meter relay team, 4 X 1600-meter relay team and three members of the sprint medley relay team.
- Steeplechasers have placed in the MAC meet for 6 years in a row since the inception of the event in 2001 with athletes going on to the NCAA regional meet 3 of the 4 years that they have had the regional meet format.
- Women's Cross Country Team has earned Academic All-American Cross Country Team status for five consecutive years.
