Falcons Start Season With Strong Performances at Tom Wright Open

Friday, December 9

Allendale, MI

Approx. 6:45 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

GVSU Holiday Open

Photo by: Kemery Aichele, BGSU Athletics

December 10, 2022 | Women's Track and Field

Full Results (PDF)Coach Snelling Interview

By: by David Dietrich, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green Falcons opened the season at home on Saturday (Dec. 10), competing in the Tom Wright Open. Freshman Bianca Staples started the day with a first-place finish in the high jump, reaching an impressive mark of 5-7.00 in her collegiate debut. The Orange and Brown also had a first-place finish from Jemeila Hunter, who completed the 400 in 58.79 seconds, the lone racer to finish in under a minute. In the lone relay, the Falcons won the 4x400. The team of DaMya Barker, Darian Braddix, Ashley Kisor, Bianca Staples won in 4:00.93, over six seconds faster than the second-place team.

The Falcons had a pair of freshmen take the top two spots in the triple jump, with Sabrina Imes reaching 12.04m and Bianca Staples reaching 11.86m. Freshman Morgan Patterson added a pair of third-place finishes, running the 60m hurdles in 8.97 and reaching a mark of 18-4.50 in the long jump. Her time of 8.77 in the 60 hurdles prelims is the seventh-fastest in program history. Fellow freshman hurdler DaMya Barker was the runner-up in the 60 hurdles, finishing in 8.89 seconds. Another freshman runner-up was Alexsia Davis, who ran the 200 in 25.73 seconds.

Bowling Green also saw first-place finishes in both throwing events, with Zaresha Neal winning the shot put and Mateya Haintz winning the weight throw. On Friday, senior Katerina Shuble ran in the 3K at the GVSU Holiday Open. She ran a PR of 9:36.09, the second-fastest time in program history. It was less than half a second shy of the school record and gave her a third-place finish in Allendale. Darian Braddix had a PR in the 60m, placing fourth at 7.73 seconds.

FULL RESULTS (PDF)

Top-Three Falcons

Weight Throw: Mateya Haintz – 1^st, 17.64m (57-10.00); Grace Bradtmueller – 2^nd, 15.34m (50-2.00); Reagan Emberton – 3^rd, 15.29m (50-2.00)
High Jump: Bianca Staples – 1^st, 1.70m (5-7.00); Jazilee Williams – 2^nd, 1.62m (5-3.75); Jenna Lucas – 3^rd, 1.57 (5-1.75)
Shot Put: Zaresha Neal – 1^st, 15.71m (51-6.50); Grace Bradtmueller – 2^nd, 12.90m (42-4.00); Lane Anderson – 3^rd, 12.81m (42-0.50)
400m: Jemeila Hunter – 1^st, 58.79; Ashley Kisor – 4^th, 1:01.62
60m Hurdles: DaMya Barker – 2^nd, 8.89; Morgan Patterson – 3^rd, 8.97
200m: Alexsia Davis – 2^nd, 25.73
Long Jump: Morgan Patterson – 3^rd, 5.60m (18-4.50)
GVSU Holiday Open 3K: Katerina Shuble – 3^rd, 9:36.09
4x400m Relay: DaMya Barker, Darian Braddix, Ashley Kisor, Bianca Staples – 1^st, 4:00.93.
Triple Jump: Sabrina Imes – 1^st, 12.04m (39-6.00); Bianca Staples – 2^nd, 11.86m (38-11.00)

Falcon Facts

Darian Braddix had a PR in the 60, running in 7.73 seconds and placing fourth.
DaMya Barker (8.89) and Morgan Patterson (8.97) finished second and third in the 60 hurdles, with each making their collegiate debut today.
Patterson added another third place finish in the long jump, finishing with a mark of 5.60m. She was followed by fellow freshman Sabrina Imes, who jumped 5.33m. Alexis Parchman rounded out the top five with a jump of 5.24m.
The 4x400 relay team of Barker, Braddix, Kisor, and Staples won with a time of 4:00.93. They were over six seconds faster than the Ball State team that placed second.
Zaresha Neal won the shot put, throwing 15.71m in her first competition of the year.
Mateya Haintz won the weight throw with a mark of 17.64m, the third-best of her career.
Bianca Staples cleared 1.70m in the high jump, giving her a first-place finish in his Falcon debut.
Sabrina Imes won the triple jump with a mark of 12.04m, her first collegiate competition. She was followed by Staples, who jumped 11.86m.
Jemeila Hunter won the 400, just her third time running the event. The senior recorded her second-best career time at 58.79. Also running the 400 was Ashley Kisor, who placed fourth at 1:01.62 in her first collegiate race.
Alexsia Davis was the runner-up in the 200, checking in at 25.73. She was backed by Payton Gorman, who placed fifth at 26.21.
Jazilee Williams made her BGSU debut, participating in the 60 hurdles, high jump, and long jump. Jenna Lucas made her collegiate debut, also competing in the same events. Both athletes also qualified for the 60 hurdles final. Williams placed second (1.62m) and Lucas was third (1.57) in the high jump.
Grace Bradtmueller placed second in the weight throw (15.34m) and shot put (12.90m), making her collegiate debut in each event.
Reagan Emberton finished third in the weight throw (15.29m) and fifth in the shot put (12.67m).
Kami Baker and Lane Anderson, debuted in the weight throw, placing fourth and fifth. In the shot put, Anderson was third (12.81m) and Baker was seventh (12.28m). They were joined by Kennedi Bailey, who threw 12.79m unattached.
Katerina Shuble ran the 3K at the GVSU Holiday Open on Friday (Dec. 9). Her time of 9:36.09 is a PR and is the second-fastest time in school history. It is less than half a second shy of the school record, held by teammate Kailee Perry.

Coach Snelling's Outlook
"Really positive start to the year across the board in the different event areas. Whether it was today or yesterday, just a really positive start to the year.'

The full post-meet press conference with Coach Snelling can be found HERE.

Up Next
The Falcons have over a month off until their next competition, the Falcon Early Bird Open on Saturday, Jan. 14. This meet will also be held at the Perry Field House on the campus of Bowling Green State University. For official start times and information, be sure to visit BGSUFalcons.com.

Follow the Falcons
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