Falcons Close MAC Championship On Strong Note

Thursday, May 9

Akron, Ohio

All Day Events

Bowling Green State University

Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships

May 11, 2013 | Women's Track and Field

By: by Jason Knavel, Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications

Final MAC Championships Results (.pdf)
Photo Gallery

Akron, Ohio – The Bowling Green track and field team scored points in five of the six events it competed in as the Falcons closed out the final day of the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday.

While Bowling Green ended the championships in just 10^th place with 23 points, it marked a huge improvement over a year ago. The Falcons scored just one point at the MAC Championships in 2012, posting only a single eighth-place finish. This year's squad had a MAC champion in Brooke Pleger in the hammer throw and scored points in seven different events.

The 4x100 relay team of Brittany Sinclair, Jeanette Pettigrew, Felicia Jefferson and Allison Weimer broke a school record that had stood since 2004, running the event in 46.17 seconds. The team entered the MAC Championships seeded ninth but improved to a sixth place finish.

That relay team was one of three sixth-place finishes on the day for the Falcons. The 4x400 relay team of Taylor Rambo, Jefferson, Sinclair and Weimer ran a 3:45.45 to finish sixth as well. Pettigrew, who ran on the 4x100 team, also placed sixth in the finals of the 100 with a time of 11.93.

Tiera Parker and Kayla Velasquez surprised with eighth place finishes in the triple jump and discus respectively. Parker, who was seeded No. 12, leaped a personal best 37-feet-5 on her final jump of the day to climb into a scoring spot. Velasquez, on the other hand, threw a personal best 147-8 on her second throw of six and that toss held up for an eighth place finish. She entered the MAC Championships ranked No. 19.

The Falcons even exceeded expectations in the one event the team did not score points in on the day. Abby Koch set a personal best in the 5000 with a time of 17:14.88 to end ninth, seven spots higher than her seed. Freshmen Andrea Alt and Jasmine Redman were right behind in 10^th and 11^th place.

Following the conclusion of the meet, Pleger was named the MAC's Outstanding Field Athlete of the Year. She currently ranks fifth in the country in the hammer throw and will compete in the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Round May 23-25 in Greensboro, N.C. If she finishes in the top 12 at the regional, she will then compete in the NCAA National Championships in Eugene, Ore. June 5-8. Pleger has also qualified for the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships June 19-23 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Mid-American Conference
Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Team Standings: Kent State 169, Akron 119, Buffalo 109.5, Miami 105, Eastern Michigan 82.5, Western Michigan 72, Toledo 49, Central Michigan 41.5, Ohio 33.5, Bowling Green 23,
Northern Illinois 11, Ball State 4

BGSU Results
100 – 6. Jeanette Pettigrew 11.93
5000 – 9. Abby Koch 17:14.88, 10. Andrea Alt 17:24.37, 11. Jasmine Redman 17:28.42
4x100 relay – 6. Brittany Sinclair, Jeanette Pettigrew, Felicia Jefferson, Allison Weimer 46.17
4x400 relay – 6. Taylor Rambo, Felicia Jefferson, Brittany Sinclair, Allison Weimer 3:45.45
Triple jump – 8. Tiera Parker 37-5
Discus – 8. Kayla Velasquez 147-8