Bowling Green State University Athletics
Friday, September 3
Bowling Green, Ohio
5:30 p.m.
Bowling Green State University
vs
Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite
Photo by: Mallory Hiser, BGSU Athletics
Falcons Host 33rd Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite On Friday
September 02, 2021 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University men's and women's cross country teams open their seasons tomorrow with the 33rd Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite. The BGSU-hosted event makes its return after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite
The Falcons will host Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and Western Michigan in the 33rd Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite on Friday, Sept. 3. Both the men's and women's 5,000m races will be held at the Bowling Green XC Course, with the men's race slated for 5:30 p.m. and the women's to follow at 6:05 p.m. Parking is available in Lot L by the Sebo Athletic Center.
To view the cross country 5,000m course map, click HERE.
To keep up with the event's live finishing results, click HERE.
Perry Leads the Way for Women
The women's team returns 11 of their 15 runners from last year while welcoming four freshmen in 2021. Junior Kailee Perry captured the individual MAC Championship in 2020, the fourth in program history, and is one of seven runners with experience in the Mel Brodt Invite. Sophomore Sydnie Firment finished first for Bowling Green and 10th overall in the 2019 edition of the event, while six other current Falcons ran unattached.
10 Returning for Men
The men's squad looks familiar for the Falcons this year, with 10 runners returning from the 2020 season. Bowling Green adds one freshman, Michael Nowinski, to an experienced team made up of six sophomores, four juniors, and one senior. Juniors AJ Haffa, Vince Manning, and Joseph Johnson III all competed in the 2019 Mel Brodt Invite, finishing seventh, ninth, and 19th, respectively.
Against the Field
The Falcons host Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and Western Michigan in the Mel Brodt Collegiate invite on Friday. The women will compete for all four schools while Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, and Toledo will field teams for the men. The meet marks the season opener for all teams attending. The Bowling Green women captured third place in the MAC last season while Toledo finished second. Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan finished ninth and 11th last year. On the men's side, the Falcons finished eighth in 2020 while Toledo came in fifth. Eastern Michigan enters the season as two-time defending MAC champions.
About Mel Brodt
BGSU's annual home cross country invitational is named after Mel Brodt, a 1987 inductee of the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He served as cross country coach for 25 years and track and field coach for 20 years. During his time with the Falcons, he coached 53 Division I All-Americans, five collegiate record holders, 92 MAC Champions, two MAC Championship teams, and Olympic gold medalist Dave Wottle (1972, 800m).
Up Next
The Falcons will compete in the Spartan Invitational, hosted by Michigan State, on Friday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. The men's 8,000m and women's 6,000m races will take place at Forest Akers East Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich.
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'
Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite
The Falcons will host Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and Western Michigan in the 33rd Mel Brodt Collegiate Invite on Friday, Sept. 3. Both the men's and women's 5,000m races will be held at the Bowling Green XC Course, with the men's race slated for 5:30 p.m. and the women's to follow at 6:05 p.m. Parking is available in Lot L by the Sebo Athletic Center.
To view the cross country 5,000m course map, click HERE.
To keep up with the event's live finishing results, click HERE.
Perry Leads the Way for Women
The women's team returns 11 of their 15 runners from last year while welcoming four freshmen in 2021. Junior Kailee Perry captured the individual MAC Championship in 2020, the fourth in program history, and is one of seven runners with experience in the Mel Brodt Invite. Sophomore Sydnie Firment finished first for Bowling Green and 10th overall in the 2019 edition of the event, while six other current Falcons ran unattached.
10 Returning for Men
The men's squad looks familiar for the Falcons this year, with 10 runners returning from the 2020 season. Bowling Green adds one freshman, Michael Nowinski, to an experienced team made up of six sophomores, four juniors, and one senior. Juniors AJ Haffa, Vince Manning, and Joseph Johnson III all competed in the 2019 Mel Brodt Invite, finishing seventh, ninth, and 19th, respectively.
Against the Field
The Falcons host Eastern Michigan, Toledo, and Western Michigan in the Mel Brodt Collegiate invite on Friday. The women will compete for all four schools while Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, and Toledo will field teams for the men. The meet marks the season opener for all teams attending. The Bowling Green women captured third place in the MAC last season while Toledo finished second. Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan finished ninth and 11th last year. On the men's side, the Falcons finished eighth in 2020 while Toledo came in fifth. Eastern Michigan enters the season as two-time defending MAC champions.
About Mel Brodt
BGSU's annual home cross country invitational is named after Mel Brodt, a 1987 inductee of the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He served as cross country coach for 25 years and track and field coach for 20 years. During his time with the Falcons, he coached 53 Division I All-Americans, five collegiate record holders, 92 MAC Champions, two MAC Championship teams, and Olympic gold medalist Dave Wottle (1972, 800m).
Up Next
The Falcons will compete in the Spartan Invitational, hosted by Michigan State, on Friday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. The men's 8,000m and women's 6,000m races will take place at Forest Akers East Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich.
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'
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Men's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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