Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
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Track and Field Finish Second at Jane Herrmann Invite
January 24, 2009 | Women's Track and Field
Jan. 24, 2009
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Falcons earn a second place finish at the Jane Herrmann Invite. Bowling Green State University would record four first place finishers and six new personal records.
"I thought it was really positive because this is a small meet and there is not as much competition as last week." said head coach Cami Wells, "We still got out, were aggressive and I feel like we came away with a very positive experience."
Sophomore Brittani McNeal stood out for BGSU in the field events. McNeal earned her first victory of the season in long jump competition, although competing with a strained hamstring. Her 18'-09" jump would also break her old personal record in the long jump.
"I think breaking my personal record was better [than the victory] because I have been jumping under 18 feet for awhile," said McNeal.
Senior Whitney Hartman would be another Falcon to earn a first place finish. Hartman would earn her second straight victory in the weight throw with a toss of 17.94 meters. Her performance would be complimented by senior TaKarra Dunning who place fourth with a 15.49 meters, matching her personal best toss and senior Stacey Turak who set a new personal best weight throw with a 15.22 meter toss, placing sixth.
In the 60 meter dash, junior Shantell Lewis would place second with a time of 7.76 seconds. Lewis would fall short of the victor Brittany Thomas, University of Dayton, by .02 seconds but would still set a new personal record.
"It felt good because it seemed last year I strived to hit the mark and I could never hit." said Lewis, "The new coaching staff, hard training and being consistent paid off."
BGSU runners would also do well in the middle distance events. Red shirt sophomores Ashley Spates and Hillary Hewit would finish in the first two spots of the 400 meter dash. Spates would finish first with a time of 1:01.64 and Hewit would finish .01 seconds later. Junior Danielle Thornton would round off the middle distance events placing second in the 500 meter dash with a new personal record time of 1:19.84.
Sophomore Heather Conger would record her first victory in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:22.12. Conger would lead the way for the duration of the race even with a limited ability to see.
"It [winning the race] felt pretty good because I did not have contacts or glasses on." said Conger, "I have eye inflammation so I couldn't see at all."
In the distance events, senior Kara Butler and red shirt sophomore Autumn Dettmann would set new personal records. Butler would set a new personal best in the one mile race with a time of 5:15.43, placing second. Dettmann would run in her first 3,000 meter run of her career placing fifth with a time of 10:28.55.
"I would say that the team competed pretty well. There are obviously certain things that we have to work on." said Wells, "I felt overall that everyone competed well and we're moving in the right direction."
The University of Dayton would win the event with a total of 150 points. BGSU would come in second place with 96 points and IPFW would place third with 50 total points.
The Falcons next competition will be the Tom Wright Classic. This home event will be held Jan. 31st at the Perry Field House.
