Gustafson Wins MAC Championship In Weight Throw; Falcons In Fifth After Day One

Friday, February 22

Kent, Ohio

11:00 AM

Bowling Green State University

MAC Indoor Championships

Gustafson Wins MAC Championship In Weight Throw; Falcons In Fifth After Day One

February 22, 2019 | Women's Track and Field

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

Kent, Ohio – Redshirt senior Aliyah Gustafson won her fourth Mid-American Conference Championship, but her first in the weight throw, as the Bowling Green State University track and field team opened competition at the MAC Championships Friday. The Falcons finished the first day of the two-day meet with 19 points, sitting in fifth place.

DAY ONE RESULTS

THE WEIGHT THROW

Bowling Green scored 15 of its 19 team points in the first event of the day, the weight throw.
Aliyah Gustafson won her fourth MAC Championship by throwing a season-best 67-feet-3.25 (20.50m).
Kaila Butler tossed a personal best 64-6.5 (19.67m) to place fourth overall. Just a junior, she was the top finisher among non-seniors.
Butler moves up a spot to fourth in school history in the weight throw, passing Jessie Rowland, who won the MAC Championship in the weight throw in 2011.
Allie Farmer also placed tenth with a distance of 58-2.5 (17.74m).

THE GUSTAFSON FILE

Aliyah Gustafson had won three MAC Championships in shot put (two during outdoor and another during indoor), but had never won the weight throw MAC title.
Gustafson sat in third place heading to finals but took the lead on her fifth throw with a toss of 20.38m.
She improved upon that on her final throw with a season best 20.50m.
Gustafson's four MAC titles tie the program record for most individual MAC Championships in program history. Kim Jamison holds the school record with five MAC Championships, doing so from 1981-84, but she had four individual event MAC titles and a relay.
Gustafson will go for that elusive fifth individual MAC Championship Saturday as the defending champion and No. 1 seed in the shot put.

WALNY PLACES IN THE 5000

Rachel Walny placed fifth in the 5000m with a time of 16:42.48.
Walny led the lead pack for most of the first 3000m before eventually settling into fifth place.
Walny had placed sixth in the event at the MAC Championships in each of the past two seasons, earning her third consecutive podium in the event.
Walny's time was the third-fastest 5000 in program history. She holds the school record at 16:26.14.

OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Savannah Nevels set a new personal best in the 200 with a time of 24.66. She tied her season-best in the 60 at 7.70 seconds.
Nevels moved to fifth in program history in the 200.
Ryen Draper also posted a personal best time in the 200 at 24.72 seconds. As well, she had a season-best time in the 400 with a time of 57.26 seconds.
Chasatea Brown recorded a season best time in the 400 at 56.83 seconds.

FROM HEAD COACH LOU SNELLING

"This was a different experience for Aliyah (Gustafson) today. Even though she came in as the favorite, she had never won the weight throw before. She had some adversity to deal with. She fouled all three throws at Ohio State in her last meet. There came a point today where she was sitting in third place. But we saw the maturity and competitiveness. She found a way."
"Rachel had a less-than-ideal run-up to the meet over the last ten days. Her performance probably shouldn't have happened. She didn't have to race today. I even gave her an out during the race. But she's just a competitor. As a coach, her effort is very much appreciated."
"We had a lot of season-bests and personal bests, but it wasn't quite enough today. In a lot of ways, we could see this happening. And today, we got a little bit closer to that next season best or personal best that does get us to finals. When we go to Ball State for the outdoor championships, that could be the day for us. In another year at the indoor championships, maybe that could be the day for us."
"We do a pretty good job of development, and Aliyah is a fantastic example of that. It's hard for everyone to remember that, but her first year did not look great. The endurance and strength wasn't there at that point, but with time and effort, she developed into the person she is today. After Aliyah and Rachel, we get really young really quickly, and there's definitely a set of kids who can make those finals in the future."

2019 MAC INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 52.5, AKRON 39, EASTERN MICHIGAN 37, TOLEDO 25,
BOWLING GREEN 19, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 15, OHIO 13, KENT STATE 10.5,
BUFFALO 9, MIAMI 8, WESTERN MICHIGAN 6