Bowling Green State University Athletics
Four Falcons Named Academic All-MAC
May 30, 2013 | Women's Track and Field
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced that four members of the Bowling Green State University outdoor track and field team have been named Academic All-MAC today. Shana Flanary, Abby Koch, Brooke Pleger and Natalie Sommerville were all honored. Along with those four, six other Falcons were named honorable mention Academic All-MAC – Andrea Alt, Maria Meredith, Jasmine Redman, Jeanette Pettigrew, Krystin Reiser and Allison Weimer.
"Our academic goals are high for every part of this program,” Head Coach Lou Snelling said. “These ten girls are a big part of us achieving those goals. It is no coincidence that many of them have achieved at a high level on the track also. We are very proud of their dedication in the classroom and truly embodying what it means to be a student-athlete."
Flanary, a redshirt freshman from Flat Rock, Mich., has a 4.0 grade point average in pre-athletic training. She placed 12th at the MAC Championships in the hammer throw with a toss of 168-feet-2. At the Ashland Alumni Open, Flanary set a personal best in the event with a throw of 170-4 to finish second. She also won the hammer throw in the team's dual meet against Toledo, tossing the implement 161-10 in poor weather conditions.
Koch is a redshirt junior from Stow, Ohio and also earned Academic All-MAC honors for the indoor track and field season. She has a 3.87 grade point average in communications disorders. She ran distance for the Falcons and placed ninth at the MAC Championships in the 5,000 with a personal best time of 17:14.88. Koch also set a PR in the 10,000 at the MAC Championships with a time of 38:11.33 to finish 15th. She won the 5000 at the Gina Relays this year and set a personal best in the 3000 against Toledo in a dual meet with a time of 10:33.03.
Pleger is a redshirt sophomore from Saline, Mich. and holds a 3.78 grade point average in nursing. Also an Academic All-MAC selection for the indoor season, Pleger was named the conference's Most Outstanding Field Athlete after setting a new MAC Championship record in the hammer throw. She also won the NCAA Division I East Regional title and will compete for a national championship June 5-8 in the event. Pleger ranks fifth in the country in the hammer throw.
Sommerville is a sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio and holds a 3.91 grade point average in biology. She represented the Falcons at the MAC Championships, placing 13th in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:04.19. She set a personal best in the event at the Raleigh Relays with a time of 1:03.11 and won the 400 hurdles at the UC Early Bird Relays. Sommerville also competed in the 100 hurdles, 200 and 400 during the season.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50% of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.
"Our academic goals are high for every part of this program,” Head Coach Lou Snelling said. “These ten girls are a big part of us achieving those goals. It is no coincidence that many of them have achieved at a high level on the track also. We are very proud of their dedication in the classroom and truly embodying what it means to be a student-athlete."
Flanary, a redshirt freshman from Flat Rock, Mich., has a 4.0 grade point average in pre-athletic training. She placed 12th at the MAC Championships in the hammer throw with a toss of 168-feet-2. At the Ashland Alumni Open, Flanary set a personal best in the event with a throw of 170-4 to finish second. She also won the hammer throw in the team's dual meet against Toledo, tossing the implement 161-10 in poor weather conditions.
Koch is a redshirt junior from Stow, Ohio and also earned Academic All-MAC honors for the indoor track and field season. She has a 3.87 grade point average in communications disorders. She ran distance for the Falcons and placed ninth at the MAC Championships in the 5,000 with a personal best time of 17:14.88. Koch also set a PR in the 10,000 at the MAC Championships with a time of 38:11.33 to finish 15th. She won the 5000 at the Gina Relays this year and set a personal best in the 3000 against Toledo in a dual meet with a time of 10:33.03.
Pleger is a redshirt sophomore from Saline, Mich. and holds a 3.78 grade point average in nursing. Also an Academic All-MAC selection for the indoor season, Pleger was named the conference's Most Outstanding Field Athlete after setting a new MAC Championship record in the hammer throw. She also won the NCAA Division I East Regional title and will compete for a national championship June 5-8 in the event. Pleger ranks fifth in the country in the hammer throw.
Sommerville is a sophomore from Cincinnati, Ohio and holds a 3.91 grade point average in biology. She represented the Falcons at the MAC Championships, placing 13th in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:04.19. She set a personal best in the event at the Raleigh Relays with a time of 1:03.11 and won the 400 hurdles at the UC Early Bird Relays. Sommerville also competed in the 100 hurdles, 200 and 400 during the season.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50% of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.
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