Falcons Finish 2015 Season At NCAA Regionals

Friday, November 13

Madison, Wis.

12 PM

Bowling Green State University

NCAA Great Lakes Regional

November 13, 2015 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Women's 6K Results
Men's 8K Results

Madison, Wisc. – The Bowling Green State University women's cross country team posted its best finish in 17 years and the men's cross country team had its best result since 2011 as the Falcons competed at the NCAA Great Lakes Regionals Friday afternoon. The women's team ended ninth overall and the men were 23rd at Thomas Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course.

The women's team continued the upward trend that has been seen in the Lou Snelling era, climbing four spots from 13^th place a year ago, reaching the top 10 in the region for the first time since 1998. The team had finished 17^th in both 2012 and 2013 after ending last place in 33rd in 2011.

The women were defeated by just one Mid-American Conference school (Eastern Michigan in sixth place), along with Power Five schools Michigan, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Purdue, Eastern Michigan, Indiana and Ohio State.

"The team gave it everything they had today," Snelling said. "I'm proud of how far this group has taken the program, since finishing dead last in our first year."

Redshirt freshman Rachel Walny, who has had an outstanding season for the Orange and Brown, finished 24th overall, with a time of 21:03.9, earning All-Region status. Walny's finish is the first top 25 result since Wendy Licht Ordway ended 10th in 1998.

"Rachel's All-Region performance is impressive given this was her first time in the race," Snelling said. "The experience she gained today will be very valuable moving forward."

Seniors Jasmine Redman and Andrea Alt, along with junior Mackenzie McMillin, all finished within four spots of each other in 65th, 67th and 68th. Sophomore Elena Lancioni rounded out the scoring for the Falcons in 82nd place.

Running in their first 10,000-meter race of the season, the men's team was led by a sophomore, a redshirt sophomore and three true freshmen. For the second consecutive meet, BG defeated Toledo and Kent State. The Falcons also ended ahead of Xavier, Valparaiso, Green Bay, IPFW and Wright State.

"We fell a little short of our expectations but the men did well and I'm proud of them," coach Chuck Wentz said. "It was a learning experience and a good ending to the season."

Redshirt sophomore Nathan Kuck placed first for the Falcons and 78th overall with a personal best time of 32:34.5, improving upon his previous personal best set at last year's regional race by two minutes.

The top runners for BG were Kuck, sophomore Kohl Taberner, and freshmen Jonathan Wenning, Noah Schaub and Kyle Repetto.