Bowling Green State University Athletics
Top 50 Female Athletes in BGSU History
August 01, 2022 | General, Softball, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Golf, Gymnastics, Women's Soccer, Women's Swimming & Diving, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field, Volleyball, Tennis, Swimming & Diving, Hall of Fame
The first portion of the list is unveiled
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, BGSU Athletics has named the Top 50 Female Athletes in BGSU Athletics history. Earlier this summer, we had fans nominate their favorite BGSU Falcons for the top 50 list. We had over 300 nominations from the fans. An esteemed committee then worked together to create the list of Top 50 Female Athletes in BGSU Athletics History. The top 50 will be unveiled 10 at a time each week starting today.
Ginny McGee Beneke – Lacrosse – Class of 1976
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2017. Beneke played both lacrosse and field hockey for the Falcons during her time at BGSU from 1972-76. She was the only Bowling Green player in the 11-year history of the lacrosse program to play on the United States Women's Lacrosse Association (USWLA) National All-Star Team in each of her four seasons. Beneke led the lacrosse team to a 12-2 record as a senior, the program's best record to that point. During that season, she had 10 goals in a 13-1 rout of Ohio State and posted seven more in a 16-2 win over Ball State. Her freshman and sophomore teams combined for a 13-4 mark.
Cheryl Vasil Christiansen – Gymnastics – Class of 1980
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. Christiansen held BGSU's records in the vault, balance beam and floor exercise upon her graduation in 1980. She was the first BG gymnast to place as high as second in the AIAW regional, doing so in 1977. In 1978, Christiansen was BGSU's most valuable gymnast, and was the state collegiate champion in the vault. Christiansen, the first gymnast in school history to earn a score 9.0 in an event, placed in the top six every year at the state meet.
Chris Tuttle – Basketball – Class of 1983
Inducted to the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1988. Tuttle was just the second woman to be inducted into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame. A four-year starter, she finished her Falcon career as BG's all-time scoring and rebounding leader with 1,420 points and 862 rebounds. Though both marks have since been bettered, Tuttle left BGSU with no less than 18 school records. A two-time All-MAC selection, she was the first BGSU woman to score 1,000 career points.
Julie Bender-Cleary – Gymnastics – Class of 1984
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1990. Bender-Cleary led the Falcons to the 1983 MAC team title winning the individual all-around and vault titles. A co-captain her senior year, Bender-Cleary tied for the all-around title while winning the vault championship at the league meet. She was the first gymnast in the MAC to repeat as the all-around champion.Â
Laura Murphy – Track and Field/Cross Country – Class of 1985
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1991. Murphy was the first female in MAC history to win the same track event four times. The Medina, Ohio native won the 1,500 meter run at each of the league championship meets during her career. At the conclusion of her career, Murphy had the 10 fastest times in the 1,500 meters in school history, including the school record of 4:25.5. She was the first BG female to break the five minute barrier in the mile doing that as a freshman. Twice she was an All-Ohio and All-MAC runner in cross country.
Kim Jamison – Track and Field – Class of 1985
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2008. Jamison had set the BGSU school records in no fewer than seven events by the time she finished her collegiate career. As a freshman in 1981, she was a member of the 880-yard relay team that qualified for the indoor AIAW national championship meet. In the outdoor MAC Championships that year, Jamison won both the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and was on the winning 400-meter relay team, helping BGSU take the team title. She advanced to the semifinals in the 200 at the AIAW National Outdoor Championships. Jamison came back in 1984 to win both the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and was part of the school's record-setting 400-meter relay team. Additionally, Jamison held the 55-meter and 300-yard indoor marks, while also being a member of the 800- and 880-meter relay teams that set the school indoor records.
Stephanie Coe – Basketball – Class of 1987
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. Coe finished her BGSU tenure ranked second in school history in career scoring, and ninth in Mid-American Conference annuals, with 1,363 points. As a sophomore with 14.7 points per game en route to earning All-MAC honorable mention. As a junior, she averaged 13.4 points as the Falcons finished second in the league. And as a senior in 1986-87, she upped her scoring average to 18.8 points, earning All-MAC First-Team honors in the process. Coe became the first Falcon Women's basketball student-athlete to earn Academic All-American First-Team honors
Mary Pfeiffer Pechous – Diving – Class of 1988
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1997. Pechous is the only four-time champion in the one-meter diving event in Mid-American Conference history. She also captured two MAC titles in the three-meter diving event with her total of 458.65 points in 1988 standing as the meet record until 1996. Her other conference championship came in 1986. She holds the BGSU record at three meters with 464.30 total. Was named Outstanding Diver in the conference in each of her four seasons.
Vicki Miwa – Softball – Class of 1988
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. Miwa earned All-MAC honors three times, one of only three players to do that at BGSU. At the conclusion of her career, she held 11 school records. On the diamond, she had a 1.43 ERA, helping the Falcons to the MAC title and an NCAA berth.
Amy Lienhardt – Softball – Class of 1988
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1995. Lienhardt had a senior season (1988) unlike any other player in school history hitting .439 (2nd in the nation, best in BG history), with 57 runs scored (2nd in nation, best in BG and MAC history) and 83 hits (5th in the nation, best in BG history). In addition, she set a school and league record with 53 stolen bases, which was a figure that led the nation in 1988. She led the Falcons to a 35-23-1 record in 1988, including a 23-8 mark in MAC play.
Check back to BGSUFalcons.com, as the next 10 members of the Top 50 female athletes in BGSUÂ athletics history will be named next week.
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Ginny McGee Beneke – Lacrosse – Class of 1976
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2017. Beneke played both lacrosse and field hockey for the Falcons during her time at BGSU from 1972-76. She was the only Bowling Green player in the 11-year history of the lacrosse program to play on the United States Women's Lacrosse Association (USWLA) National All-Star Team in each of her four seasons. Beneke led the lacrosse team to a 12-2 record as a senior, the program's best record to that point. During that season, she had 10 goals in a 13-1 rout of Ohio State and posted seven more in a 16-2 win over Ball State. Her freshman and sophomore teams combined for a 13-4 mark.
Cheryl Vasil Christiansen – Gymnastics – Class of 1980
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. Christiansen held BGSU's records in the vault, balance beam and floor exercise upon her graduation in 1980. She was the first BG gymnast to place as high as second in the AIAW regional, doing so in 1977. In 1978, Christiansen was BGSU's most valuable gymnast, and was the state collegiate champion in the vault. Christiansen, the first gymnast in school history to earn a score 9.0 in an event, placed in the top six every year at the state meet.
Chris Tuttle – Basketball – Class of 1983
Inducted to the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1988. Tuttle was just the second woman to be inducted into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame. A four-year starter, she finished her Falcon career as BG's all-time scoring and rebounding leader with 1,420 points and 862 rebounds. Though both marks have since been bettered, Tuttle left BGSU with no less than 18 school records. A two-time All-MAC selection, she was the first BGSU woman to score 1,000 career points.
Julie Bender-Cleary – Gymnastics – Class of 1984
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1990. Bender-Cleary led the Falcons to the 1983 MAC team title winning the individual all-around and vault titles. A co-captain her senior year, Bender-Cleary tied for the all-around title while winning the vault championship at the league meet. She was the first gymnast in the MAC to repeat as the all-around champion.Â
Laura Murphy – Track and Field/Cross Country – Class of 1985
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1991. Murphy was the first female in MAC history to win the same track event four times. The Medina, Ohio native won the 1,500 meter run at each of the league championship meets during her career. At the conclusion of her career, Murphy had the 10 fastest times in the 1,500 meters in school history, including the school record of 4:25.5. She was the first BG female to break the five minute barrier in the mile doing that as a freshman. Twice she was an All-Ohio and All-MAC runner in cross country.
Kim Jamison – Track and Field – Class of 1985
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2008. Jamison had set the BGSU school records in no fewer than seven events by the time she finished her collegiate career. As a freshman in 1981, she was a member of the 880-yard relay team that qualified for the indoor AIAW national championship meet. In the outdoor MAC Championships that year, Jamison won both the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and was on the winning 400-meter relay team, helping BGSU take the team title. She advanced to the semifinals in the 200 at the AIAW National Outdoor Championships. Jamison came back in 1984 to win both the 100- and 200-meter dashes, and was part of the school's record-setting 400-meter relay team. Additionally, Jamison held the 55-meter and 300-yard indoor marks, while also being a member of the 800- and 880-meter relay teams that set the school indoor records.
Stephanie Coe – Basketball – Class of 1987
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. Coe finished her BGSU tenure ranked second in school history in career scoring, and ninth in Mid-American Conference annuals, with 1,363 points. As a sophomore with 14.7 points per game en route to earning All-MAC honorable mention. As a junior, she averaged 13.4 points as the Falcons finished second in the league. And as a senior in 1986-87, she upped her scoring average to 18.8 points, earning All-MAC First-Team honors in the process. Coe became the first Falcon Women's basketball student-athlete to earn Academic All-American First-Team honors
Mary Pfeiffer Pechous – Diving – Class of 1988
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1997. Pechous is the only four-time champion in the one-meter diving event in Mid-American Conference history. She also captured two MAC titles in the three-meter diving event with her total of 458.65 points in 1988 standing as the meet record until 1996. Her other conference championship came in 1986. She holds the BGSU record at three meters with 464.30 total. Was named Outstanding Diver in the conference in each of her four seasons.
Vicki Miwa – Softball – Class of 1988
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. Miwa earned All-MAC honors three times, one of only three players to do that at BGSU. At the conclusion of her career, she held 11 school records. On the diamond, she had a 1.43 ERA, helping the Falcons to the MAC title and an NCAA berth.
Amy Lienhardt – Softball – Class of 1988
Inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame in 1995. Lienhardt had a senior season (1988) unlike any other player in school history hitting .439 (2nd in the nation, best in BG history), with 57 runs scored (2nd in nation, best in BG and MAC history) and 83 hits (5th in the nation, best in BG history). In addition, she set a school and league record with 53 stolen bases, which was a figure that led the nation in 1988. She led the Falcons to a 35-23-1 record in 1988, including a 23-8 mark in MAC play.
Check back to BGSUFalcons.com, as the next 10 members of the Top 50 female athletes in BGSUÂ athletics history will be named next week.
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