Rah Rah Raleigh: Falcons Open Outdoor Season At NC State

RALEIGH RELAYS
Date	March 28-29, 2014
Time	10 am
Location	Raleigh, N.C. \| Derr Track
Coverage	Live Video \| Raleigh Relays Site
Additional Information	Twitter \| Facebook \| Performance List

Bowling Green, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University track and field team opens its outdoor season this weekend at the Raleigh Relays, hosted by NC State. It will be the second consecutive year in which the Falcons have competed at the meet. BGSU will look to springboard from a successful indoor season to make even larger strides this spring.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
The BGSU track and field team can be followed all spring through a number of ways. Follow the official team Twitter account @BGXCTrack and the official account of the Athletics Department @BGAthletics. Links for live results and live video (as available) can be found on BGSUFalcons.com as meets provide those opportunities.

ABOUT THE RALEIGH RELAYS
The Raleigh Relays are a two-day event Friday and Saturday with multiple sections and heats. The schedule of events is as follows:

Friday
9 am – 3000 Steeplechase
9:20 am – 5000
10 am – Shot put
11 am – High jump
11 am – Long jump
12:21 pm – 100 hurdles prelims
1:50 pm – 100 prelims
2 pm – Discus
2:30 pm – Long jump
3:35 pm – 400
4:55 pm – Sprint Medley Relay
5:30 pm – 1500
6:35 pm – 3000 Steeplechase
7:25 pm – 1500
8:32 pm – 5000
9:53 pm – 10000

Saturday
9:30 am – 10000
11:10 am – 4x1500 relay
12 pm – 100 hurdles finals
12:10 pm – 100 finals
1 pm – 400 hurdles
1 pm – Hammer throw
1:45 pm – 4x100 relay
2 pm – Triple jump
2:20 pm – 800 invitational
2:30 pm - Javelin
2:55 pm – 4x200 relay
3:30 pm – 4x800 relay
4:05 pm – 200 invitational
4:45 pm – 4x400 relay

PRESEASON RANKINGS
The United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released its outdoor track and field preseason national rankings. The Falcons are ranked No. 64 in the country, the highest preseason ranking for the team since the USTFCCCA began ranking in 2008. A year ago, Bowling Green's preseason rank was No. 207.

BGSU is third among all Mid-American Conference schools with Akron leading the way at No. 26 and Buffalo in second at No. 54. Following Bowling Green is Kent State at No. 66 and Eastern Michigan at No. 116.

HAMMER TIME
Junior Brooke Pleger was named an NCAA Division I First Team All-American a year ago after finishing seventh in the country in the hammer throw. In the USTFCCCA preseason rankings, she is third in the country in the event. Pleger threw the hammer as far as 219-feet-9 a year ago, a mark that would rank first in the country in the early-going this year. Currently, Colorado's Emily Hunsucker is at the top of the national standings with a throw of 212-11.

#MACtion
Bowling Green placed 10th at the Mid-American Conference Championships a year ago with 23 points, but the Falcons have reason to believe they can exceed those results this year. BGSU returns everyone who scored points in an individual event a year ago and all of those, in fact, are underclassmen this year still. That list begins with junior Brooke Pleger, who won the hammer throw. Redshirt sophomore Andrea Alt was seventh in the steeplechase, while sophomores Tiera Parker and Kayla Velasquez placed eighth in the triple jump and discus, respectively. On top of those competitors, senior Jeanette Pettigrew placed as high as third in both the 100 and 200 at the MAC Championships in 2011. Adding to the depth, senior Tina Perrine, sophomore Jasmine Redman and freshman Makenzie Wheat all scored points at the MAC Indoor Championships.

CAPTAINS
BGSU head coach Lou Snelling has named three captains for the 2013-14 season. Redshirt sophomore Andrea Alt, redshirt junior Brooke Pleger and redshirt senior Jeanette Pettigrew will guide the Falcons.

SNELLING RECOGNIZED BY SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
A six-time Southland Conference Coach of the Year at Stephen F. Austin, BGSU Head Coach Lou Snelling was named to the All-Time Southland Conference Honor Roll earlier this year. As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, the conference honored 65 student-athletes and eight coaches (of which Snelling was recognized) for their historic contributions to the sport.

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