Walny Wins Mel Brodt; Falcons Begin Cross Country Season

Friday, September 4

Bowling Green, Ohio

6:30 PM

Bowling Green State University

Mel Brodt Collegiate Open

Photo by: Bianca Garza, BGSU Marketing and Communications

September 04, 2015 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

By: Amanda Cutcher, BGSU Athletic Communications

Full Mel Brodt Results (PDF)
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Bowling Green, Ohio – Redshirt freshman Rachel Walny led the women's cross country team with a time 17:20.1 to win the Mel Brodt Collegiate Open Friday night on the campus of Bowling Green State University. Sophomore Nathan Kuck placed third for the Falcons in the men's race.

"It's so early and there's so much that has to be done between now and the postseason," Head Coach Lou Snelling said, "But, it is a very promising start."

No team scores were recorded, but Toledo and Siena Heights competed in the men's race, while Toledo, Cleveland State and Siena Heights battled in the women's competition.

Putting on the Bowling Green uniform for the first time in her career, Walny proved to be the biggest bright spot during a night of strong performances. Her time was 37 seconds faster than any BGSU student-athlete ran the 5,000-meter race a year ago and was 17 seconds faster than any other competitor at the meet.

Running unattached, BG's top returner Becca Rae placed sixth with a time of 17:52.0 and Mackenzie McMillin followed closely behind with a time of 18:05.4 to finish ninth. In all, BGSU placed four runners among the top 10 as senior Jasmine Redman put together a time of 18:16.9 to end one spot behind McMillin.

Further down the order, sophomore Rebecca Schott crossed the finishing line with a personal best of 18:44.9, twenty-six seconds better than her previous fastest time, and ended 16^th.

On the men's side, Nathan Kuck posted a new personal best time of 15:53.2. Following him, freshmen Tyler Phillips, Noah Schaub and Jonathan Wenning ran in their first ever collegiate races, posting top 10 finishes. Phillips ran 16:05.7 to place fifth, followed by Schaub in ninth with a time of 16:17.6. Wenning was 10^th with a time of 16:18.0.

Beyond those three freshmen, the next three finishers for BGSU were also first-year runners in Zane Sturts, Paul Garbarino and Kyle Repetto.

BGSU will next compete at the Spartan Invitational on Sept. 18, hosted by Michigan State.