Niekamp, Worboy Shine at 2021 Spartan Invitational

Friday, September 17

East Lansing, Mich.

11:00 a.m.

Bowling Green State University

Spartan Invitational

September 17, 2021 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country

Spartan Invitational Women's Team Results Spartan Invitational Women's Individual Results Spartan Invitational Men's Team Results Spartan Invitational Men's Individual Results

By: Pershelle Rohrer, BGSU Strategic Communications

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Bowling Green State University men's and women's cross country teams competed in the 2021 Spartan Invitational at Forest Akers East Golf Course on Friday (Sept. 17) morning. The women's team finished in the top ten in team scoring, placing sixth out of 20 teams competing. The men posted a 16th place team score out of 22 teams. Senior Sydney Niekamp led the way for the Falcons, earning a 25th place finish for the women. Sophomore Mikey Worboy was the top finisher for the men, placing 100th overall.

Women's 6K Event
The women's 6k event saw 251 participants from 21 schools. The Falcons earned a sixth-place team score, tallying 201 points in their first 6k race of the year. The Orange and Brown finished two places ahead of fellow Mid-American Conference school Central Michigan (8th), while Toledo finished third. The hosting Michigan State Spartans took the top team score with 36 points.

Individual Performances

Sydney Niekamp led the way for Bowling Green, finishing 25th overall with a time of 22:41.3. She improved her time from the 2019 Spartan Invitational (22:47.7), where she placed 33rd, by just over six seconds. "Syd was very consistent from the opener to today, just really had a good race from start to finish," head coach Lou Snelling said. "She really focused, pushed through hard, and got the reward for it, got the really nice day for it."
Kailee Perry finished second for the Orange and Brown and 33rd overall in her first race of the season. The junior crossed the finish line at 23:08.4.
Senior Katerina Shuble finished third for the Falcons and 44th overall with a time of 23:15.6.
Elise Johnson and Alyssa Ellerbrock closed out the top five for the Falcons, finishing 60th and 80th, respectively. Johnson completed the race in 23:37.4, while Ellerbrock posted a time of 24:05.0., setting a new personal best in the 6k.

Coach Lou Snelling's Take
"It was a mixed bag. We had some good moments and individually some good performances, but we did not put it together one to five, one to seven."

Men's 8K Event
The men's 8k event featured 289 athletes representing 22 schools. Bowling Green notched a 16th place team score with 450 points in their first 8k this season. Grand Valley State (35 points) edged out Michigan State (51 points) for the top team score in the event. Toledo (4th place) just missed out on a top-three finish, while Central Michigan posted an 11th place score.

Individual Performances

Sophomore Mikey Worboy took the top spot for Bowling Green, placing 100th overall with a time of 27:20.1. He shattered his personal best in the 8k, finishing 38 seconds ahead of his previous record in the 2020 Falcon Invitational (27:58.4). "Mikey had a great day," Coach Kelly Leatherman said. "He came up to me earlier in the week wanting to do the big things, felt like he was ready to do it, and he showed up. He was patient at first, and then after about two miles he decided, 'Alright, it's time for me to shine,' and he did."
Michael Nowinski placed second for the Falcons in his first collegiate 8k, posting a time of 27:37.2 en route to a 111th place finish.
Christian Gagliardi crossed the finish line third for the Orange and Brown, earning a 127th place finish. The sophomore completed the race in 27:51.4, shaving just under a minute off his personal best in the 8k, which he set in the 2020 MAC Championship race.
Juniors Vince Manning and AJ Haffa placed fourth and fifth for the Falcons. Manning finished the race in 28:04.1, placing 139^th overall, and Haffa's 28:09.5 was good for 144th place.

Coach Kelly Leatherman's Take
"It was a challenging day. The heat, the jumping up from 5k to 8k, and a young crew, so still some strategies to learn. We didn't experience this size of a race at all last year, so for a lot of them to have 250-plus athletes starting on a starting line is a new experience. Overall, I think we handled it okay, and I think we just have steps now to move forward and work with."

Up Next
Both cross country teams will compete in their third event of the 2021 season in two weekends. The women's team travels to Bethlehem, Pa., to compete in the Paul Short Run, hosted by Lehigh, on Friday, Oct. 1, at 11:45 a.m. The men's team will compete in the Louisville-hosted Live in Lou Cross Country Classic on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 9:30 a.m.

Follow The Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons cross country teams throughout the season on social media.
Twitter – @BGAthletics and @BG_XCTrack
Instagram – 'bgfalcons' and 'bg_xctrack'
Facebook – 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube – 'Falcon Athletics'