Bowling Green State University Athletics
Cross Country Opens 2008 Fall Season Against Arch-Rival Rockets
August 25, 2008 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
Aug. 25, 2008
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - With the summer at an end and the fall semester just starting up, it is once again time for cross country season and the Bowling Green State University men's and women's cross country teams will once again welcome in the new season against the University of Toledo on Friday evening when it hosts its' arch-rival in their annual dual competition. The Falcons and Rockets will begin the 3k and 5k event at 5 p.m. from the BGSU's intramural fields with both races finishing within the vicinity of the big hill at Forrest Creason Golf Course.
"It is always fun to start the year with the Dual meet against UT," said Cami Wells, now in her 10th season as the women's coach and seventh overall as head coach of both the men's and women's programs. "The natural rivalry adds some extra excitement and we very rarely get to go head to head with one team, so it is a nice change for us when we can compete head to head against one team, as opposed to a large pack of runners."
"This first race of the season is a shorter race than usual for both squads," Wells continued. "The men are starting with a 5K and women a 3K. The race is also one week earlier in the training schedule for us this year, so we are using it as more or less a time trial or sorts to see where everyone is at and to give our student-athletes the opportunity to experience a race situation."
BG will return eight letterwinners (including a 2006 letterwinner) on the women's side and three on the men's squad. Included in the top returnees for the women are fifth-year senior Jamie Roflow (Cincinnati, Ohio; 2006 All-Mid-American Conference First Team honoree), sophomores Ashley Fischer (Fremont, Ohio) and Barbara Powers (Bowling Green, Ohio), along with junior Carly Wells (formerly Carly Bates) and senior Kara Butler. While on the men's side, top returnees include sophomores Christopher Moody (Davidsonville, Md.), Johnstone Kirui (Eldoret, Kenya) and Jesse Smuda (Deshler, Ohio).
"Our women's team has very high expectations after finishing 2nd in 2006 and then running very well last season without top runner Jamie Roflow," said Wells. " The team is eager to get back out and race now that Jamie has returned and everyone has had one more year to get stronger. We have a strong group of returning athletes and add a solid freshman class with Saisha Gailliard, Sally Jerop and Agnes Kibor."
"Our men's team then is young, but they are excited and have worked hard all off-season," said Wells. "Our main focus to start, will be on individual and team improvements from week to week and making sure we continue to improve as the season progresses. We feel it will be a good year for us though, returning a solid group and adding a large freshman class to the mix."
Last season in the same event, the BG women earned a 25 to 31 win, while the Falcon men fell just short, falling 26 to 29. Fischer, racing in her collegiate race, took home the individual title in the women's race, running a time of 18:22, to best teammate Wells by 24 seconds. On the men's side, Eddie Kipchoge took home the individual title with a time of 15:23, but a two, three and four finish by the Rockets was too much for BG to overcome.
"I was very happy with the way the women raced this event last season, but we had way too big of a gap between our four and five runners and that cost us," Wells said. "But I was happy with how they closed that up and obviously Ashley Fischer ran an outstanding race for a freshman. It was a very impressive performance by her and she showed a lot of confidence and composure."
"Obviously on the men's side, we let them get away from us too much on the second mile and it allowed them to go two, three and four on and that cost us," Wells continued.
Battling is something that Wells has preached to her men's team this season and knows is something they must do if they want to climb the ranks in the MAC.
"They know that they got to get in there and battle when it comes time to battle this season," said Wells. "They are a very positive group though and I'm excited to work with them."
Aside from Moody, Kirui and Smuda, the Falcon men will welcome back John Bernard (Worthington, Ohio), Jeff Ehler (Cincinnati, Ohio), Michael Flores (Fremont, Ohio), and Aaron Smuda (Rogers City, Mich.). The men will then welcome in newcomers Anthony Althauser (Toledo, Ohio), Abraham Busienei (Eldoret, Kenya; Louisville transfer), Zach Kitts (Springfield, Ohio), Erik Kuehner (Bowling Green, Ohio), Ben Leininger (Beavercreek, Ohio) and Peter Miles (Fairview Park, Ohio).
The women will welcome back Heather Conger (Euclid, Ohio), Lindsay Conway (Rochester, N.Y.), Autumn Dettman (Watertown, Wis.), Megan Kelsey (Kettering, Ohio), Kylie Korsnack (Bowling Green, Ohio), Courtney Krummert (Milford, Ohio), Andrea Pereira de Almeida (Bowling Green, Ohio), Andrea Scharer (Oregon, Ohio), Lyndi Springer (Celina, Ohio), Danielle Thornton (Luckey, Ohio), Tara Weiss (Gaithersburg, Md.), Chelsey Woods (Springfield, Ohio) and Lauren Zielke (Mount Pleasant, Ill.). The women will then welcome in Saisha Gailard (Ypsilanti, Mich.), Hillary Hewit (Westfield Center, Ohio), Sally Jerop (Kabsabet, Kenya), Agnes Kibor (Eldoret, Kenya) and Shannon Laseak (Mentor, Ohio).
Following Friday's race, the Falcons will return to action at home again on Sept. 13 when they host the Mel Brodt Invitational.
"I would just like to invite everyone to all our home competitions this fall," said Wells. "Having the crowd support is a great help to the teams and our student-athletes and staff are very grateful for those who do come and show their support."
Programs for the event will be available on race day around the start or finish lines.
