Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Host The BGSU Women's Challenge This Saturday
January 10, 2008 | Women's Track and Field
Jan. 10, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University track & field team will kick off its 2008 indoor season this weekend as they host the BGSU Women's Challenge inside the Perry Field House on Saturday. The Falcons look to start the season off strong as they face IPFW, Miami, Oakland, Ohio and Western Michigan, starting at noon.
The team improved as each meet passed last season and hopes to carry that momentum into Saturday's event. BGSU finished eighth at the Indoor MAC Championships last season, their highest finish since 2004. The Falcons return with a variety of youth and experience on the team. Returning, are five seniors and seven juniors while adding a host of newcomers to the team.
Head coach Cami Wells begins her second season in control of the women's track and field program. She is joined by Clive Roberts (third season), Justin Carvalho (second season), and Bryan Jackson (second season).
Experience leads the Falcons in throwing. Senior Lauren Bryant is back from a successful 2007 season that includes a trip to the NCAA Mid-East Regional. Senior Liz Honegger will help lead a group of talent in throws. At the Toledo Invite, Honegger finished fourth in the shot put. Junior Whitney Hartman comes back after missing the 2007 season. In the 2006 season Hartman had two victories and two second place finishes in the weight throw. She also qualified for the Regionals in the hammer throw and at the MAC Championships threw her second best throw ever.
Leading the way in pole vault is sophomore, Sabrina Forstein. At the All-Ohio Championship she made a jump of 10-11.75 to rank her second all time in BGSU history. In the long jump the Falcons will be led by Amanda Sefcik (career best 35:01.25) and newcomer Brittani McNeal will join Sefcik to form the Falcons long jumping duo.
Speedsters Rachel Doughty and Shantell Lewis are two young sprinters to keep an eye on this season. Rachel Doughty is a freshman who comes in with a personal best of 14.82 in the 100m hurdles, which placed her second at the Division II Ohio State Meet. That time was no fluke as Rachel ran a 14.90 in the Division II Ohio State Meet just a year before. Lewis, a sophomore from Cleveland is one part of the 4x100 relay team that had finishes of first, third and fourth in the 2007 season. In high school, Lewis was a 2005 Indoor State Champ in the 200 meters and 4x400 meter relay. Newcomer Heather Conger is one to watch out for in the 400 meter dash. She holds high school records in the 800 meter, 3,200 meter and 5,000 meter events. Conger was also named to the Western Reserve Conference First Team in the 400m, 800m and cross country.
Leading the Orange and Brown in the mid-distance events are Lyndi Springer, Chelsey Woods, Carly Bates and Danielle Thornton. Springer is returning after sitting out the 2007 season. In 2006, she broke the 600m BGSU school record not only once, but several times. Her best time in the event was posted at the BGSU Quad with a time of 1:35.43 which was good enough to place her second in the event. Bates won the 800-meters at the BGSU Quad with her best time of 2:19.02. She was red-shirted during the 2007 outdoor season due to an injury. Sophomore Danielle Thornton finished third in the 800m at the BGSU Open last season. Thornton was also part of the winning distance relay team that won the All-Ohio title and in high school she placed third in the 800m at the Division II Ohio State Meet. Woods will add depth to an already strong group of sprinters.
Senior Jamie Roflow leads the Falcon long distance runners into the 2008 season. She looks to continue her success from the 2007 track season, after being named the Most Valuable Track Athlete for BGSU. Roflow also won the Indoor MAC title in the 5,000-meters and received first team All-MAC and Academic All-MAC honors. Roflow also took first place at the BGSU Open in the 5,000-meters and in the mile at the BGSU Quad. Kara Butler, a junior will be running the 5,000-meters on Saturday. In 2007, she placed third in the 3,000-meters at the BGSU Quad and fifth in the same event at the indoor All-Ohio Championship. In the 2006 outdoor season Butler ran her personal best of 20:34.13 in the 5,000-meter. Running with Roflow in the mile run on Saturday will be sophomore, Autumn Dettman. Dettman was held out of the 2006 cross country and the 2007 track and cross country seasons because of injuries. In high school Dettman finished eighth overall at the 2005 Division I Wisconsin State Meet and earned first Team All-State honors. She was also named the 2005 WLT Cross Country Runner of the Year.
The meet will open with field events starting at noon. Track events will begin at 1:00 p.m. Below is a list of the entire schedule.
Time Schedule of EventsField Events: Noon Women's 20# Weight, Shot Put to Follow Women's Long Jump Women's Pole Vault 1:00 p.m. Women's High Jump 2:00 p.m. Women's Triple Jump In the horizontal jumps and the throws, the top nine athletes advance to the finals.
Track Events: 1:00 p.m. Women's 5,000-meter Run Final 1:25 p.m. Women's 60-meter Dash Heats 1:35 p.m. Women's 60-meter Hurdle Heats 1:45 p.m. Women's Mile Run Final 2:00 p.m. Women's 400-meter Dash Final 2:15 p.m. Women's 60-meter Dash Final 2:25 p.m. Women's 60-meter Hurdle Finals 2:35 p.m. Women's 600-meter Run Final 2:50 p.m. Women's 300-meter Dash Final 3:10 p.m. Women's 800-meter Run Final 3:30 p.m. Women's 3,000-meter Run Final 3:50 p.m. Women's 4X400-meter Relay Final
