Bowling Green State University Athletics
Top 50 Female Athletes in BGSU History (Part IV)
August 22, 2022 | General
The fourth portion of the list is unveiled
In honor of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, BGSU Athletics 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. The committee then worked together to create the list of Top 50 Female Athletes in BGSU Athletics History. Here are our next ten members in our Top 50 Female Athletes in BGSU Athletics history.
Mary Beth Friel – Gymnastics – Class of 1992
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2004. During her time at BGSU, she earned All-MAC honors in three seasons, winning the MAC title on the balance beam as a junior in 1991. Friel also earned all-league honors on the beam as a freshman and senior, was the first BG gymnast to earn all-conference honors in three different seasons. At the time of Friel's graduation, she held school records in the all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise.
Marny Oestreng – Gymnastics – Class of 2002
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2013. Became an NCAA champion while at Bowling Green, and graduated from BGSU with records in every individual event. Oestreng's school- and career-best score in the all-around while at BG was 39.600, and she also posted the program's best-ever scores in the floor exercise (9.975), uneven bars (9.950), vault (9.950) and balance beam (9.925). As a freshman in 1999, Oestreng won the NCAA title in the floor exercise. As a sophomore in 2000, Oestreng finished fifth at the NCAA Regionals in the floor, eighth in the all-around and 10th in the bars.
Kristy Coppes – Soccer – Class of 2005
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2020. She is the Falcons' all-time leader in goals and points, with 52 career goals and 111 career points. Coppes is the first inductee in the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame from the women's soccer program. 2001 MAC Freshman of the Year and led the Falcons in goals with 12. As a senior, as she led the Falcons with 18 goals. She became the school-record holder for most goals in a match when she scored six against Duquesne.
Liz Vrabel Knoblauch – Softball – Class of 2006
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2017. Finished her softball pitching career at BGSU as the program's career leader in wins, strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings, shutouts and appearances. Her 768 strikeouts is over 200 more than any other player in school history and her 7.12 strikeouts per seven innings also remains a program record. With 67 career wins and 29 career shutouts, Knoblauch remains at the top of the program leaderboard in four significant pitching categories. During her tenure at BGSU, the Falcons won 126 games, the most wins in a four-year span in program history. Knoblauch was a first-team All-MAC performer in 2005 and was named second-team All-MAC in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
Liz Honegger – BasketballÂ
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2018. BGSU advanced to the Mid-American Conference Tournament's championship game in all four of her seasons, and BGSU won both the MAC regular-season and tournament titles in each of the last three years. Honegger also finished her college career as the school's record holder in three-point field goals made (216) and blocked shots (188). Upon her graduation, she was the only player in NCAA Division I women's basketball to hold both of those career records for her school. Honegger's senior season saw the Falcons go 31-4 overall – still the most wins in MAC women's basketball history. The last two wins were NCAA Tournament victories over Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt to lead the Falcons to the first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance by a MAC women's team.
Ali Mann – Basketball – Class of 2007Â
Helped the Falcons to a record of 103-25 in her four years, advancing to the championship game of the MAC Tournament in all four seasons. Became just the sixth player in league history to be named MAC Player of the Year, MAC Freshman of the Year and MAC Tournament MVP during her career. Finished her career ranked second in school history in career scoring and third in rebounding with 1,825 career points and 911 rebounds as a Falcon. Earned all-conference honors in each of her four years. In 2007, earned Kodak/WBCA All-America honorable mention after being named to the all-region team, and also was a Lowe's Senior Class Award nominee.
Kate Achter – Basketball – Class of 2008Â
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2018. She helped the Falcons to four Mid-American Conference regular-season titles, three MAC Tournament crowns and four national postseason appearances. Achter ranked fifth in BGSU history in scoring, with 1,580 career points, and is the Falcons' all-time leader in assists, with 688 upon graduation. Achter was a State Farm/WBCA All-America honorable-mention choice in her senior season. In addition to assists, she also held the school records for free throws made (551) and attempted (718) in a career when she graduated.
Hayley Wiemer-Bradford – Softball – Class of 2009
Wiemer-Bradford was a four-time First Team All-MAC honoree. She was selected to the MAC All-Tournament team twice in her career. She started 101 games in the circle for the Falcons. Her 66 complete games, 693.2 innings pitched, 53 wins, and 557 strikeouts were all top five in BGSU history upon graduation. Weimer-Bradford was also dominant at the plate. She finished her career as the all-time home run leader with 32 in her career.Â
Lauren Prochaska – Basketball – Class of 2011
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2022. The BGSU career scoring leader, ending with 2,290 points. Graduated as the school's career leader in FT made (626), FT% (90.6%), 3-point field goals made (310), game started (135) and consecutive games started (135). Prochaska tied the school record for field-goal attempts (1,637), and ended up second in field goals made (677) and seventh on the school rebounding list (813). Named to the All-MAC First Team three straight seasons. She was named the MAC Tournament's MVP in back-to-back seasons. A State Farm Coaches' All-America Team honorable-mention selection for the second year in a row.Â
Christine Chiricosta – Tennis – Class of 2011
Chiricosta was a three-time Academic All-America selection, the lone player in program history to earn that honor even once. Named to the All-MAC Team in each of her four seasons. Chiricosta was named to the Academic All-MAC Team in all three years of eligibility for the honor as well as being named an ITA Scholar Athlete in each of her four seasons at BGSU. She is the winningest player in school history, owning each of the program's three career wins records. Chiricosta finished with a total of 178 combined career victories, the most in BGSU history. She had 89 singles wins and 89 doubles victories, ranking first on both BG lists.
Top 50 Female Athletes Part 1Â HERE.
Top 50 Female Athletes Part 2Â HERE.
Top 50 Female Athletes Part 3Â HERE.
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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Mary Beth Friel – Gymnastics – Class of 1992
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2004. During her time at BGSU, she earned All-MAC honors in three seasons, winning the MAC title on the balance beam as a junior in 1991. Friel also earned all-league honors on the beam as a freshman and senior, was the first BG gymnast to earn all-conference honors in three different seasons. At the time of Friel's graduation, she held school records in the all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise.
Marny Oestreng – Gymnastics – Class of 2002
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2013. Became an NCAA champion while at Bowling Green, and graduated from BGSU with records in every individual event. Oestreng's school- and career-best score in the all-around while at BG was 39.600, and she also posted the program's best-ever scores in the floor exercise (9.975), uneven bars (9.950), vault (9.950) and balance beam (9.925). As a freshman in 1999, Oestreng won the NCAA title in the floor exercise. As a sophomore in 2000, Oestreng finished fifth at the NCAA Regionals in the floor, eighth in the all-around and 10th in the bars.
Kristy Coppes – Soccer – Class of 2005
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2020. She is the Falcons' all-time leader in goals and points, with 52 career goals and 111 career points. Coppes is the first inductee in the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame from the women's soccer program. 2001 MAC Freshman of the Year and led the Falcons in goals with 12. As a senior, as she led the Falcons with 18 goals. She became the school-record holder for most goals in a match when she scored six against Duquesne.
Liz Vrabel Knoblauch – Softball – Class of 2006
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2017. Finished her softball pitching career at BGSU as the program's career leader in wins, strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings, shutouts and appearances. Her 768 strikeouts is over 200 more than any other player in school history and her 7.12 strikeouts per seven innings also remains a program record. With 67 career wins and 29 career shutouts, Knoblauch remains at the top of the program leaderboard in four significant pitching categories. During her tenure at BGSU, the Falcons won 126 games, the most wins in a four-year span in program history. Knoblauch was a first-team All-MAC performer in 2005 and was named second-team All-MAC in 2003, 2004 and 2006.
Liz Honegger – BasketballÂ
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2018. BGSU advanced to the Mid-American Conference Tournament's championship game in all four of her seasons, and BGSU won both the MAC regular-season and tournament titles in each of the last three years. Honegger also finished her college career as the school's record holder in three-point field goals made (216) and blocked shots (188). Upon her graduation, she was the only player in NCAA Division I women's basketball to hold both of those career records for her school. Honegger's senior season saw the Falcons go 31-4 overall – still the most wins in MAC women's basketball history. The last two wins were NCAA Tournament victories over Oklahoma State and Vanderbilt to lead the Falcons to the first-ever Sweet Sixteen appearance by a MAC women's team.
Ali Mann – Basketball – Class of 2007Â
Helped the Falcons to a record of 103-25 in her four years, advancing to the championship game of the MAC Tournament in all four seasons. Became just the sixth player in league history to be named MAC Player of the Year, MAC Freshman of the Year and MAC Tournament MVP during her career. Finished her career ranked second in school history in career scoring and third in rebounding with 1,825 career points and 911 rebounds as a Falcon. Earned all-conference honors in each of her four years. In 2007, earned Kodak/WBCA All-America honorable mention after being named to the all-region team, and also was a Lowe's Senior Class Award nominee.
Kate Achter – Basketball – Class of 2008Â
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2018. She helped the Falcons to four Mid-American Conference regular-season titles, three MAC Tournament crowns and four national postseason appearances. Achter ranked fifth in BGSU history in scoring, with 1,580 career points, and is the Falcons' all-time leader in assists, with 688 upon graduation. Achter was a State Farm/WBCA All-America honorable-mention choice in her senior season. In addition to assists, she also held the school records for free throws made (551) and attempted (718) in a career when she graduated.
Hayley Wiemer-Bradford – Softball – Class of 2009
Wiemer-Bradford was a four-time First Team All-MAC honoree. She was selected to the MAC All-Tournament team twice in her career. She started 101 games in the circle for the Falcons. Her 66 complete games, 693.2 innings pitched, 53 wins, and 557 strikeouts were all top five in BGSU history upon graduation. Weimer-Bradford was also dominant at the plate. She finished her career as the all-time home run leader with 32 in her career.Â
Lauren Prochaska – Basketball – Class of 2011
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2022. The BGSU career scoring leader, ending with 2,290 points. Graduated as the school's career leader in FT made (626), FT% (90.6%), 3-point field goals made (310), game started (135) and consecutive games started (135). Prochaska tied the school record for field-goal attempts (1,637), and ended up second in field goals made (677) and seventh on the school rebounding list (813). Named to the All-MAC First Team three straight seasons. She was named the MAC Tournament's MVP in back-to-back seasons. A State Farm Coaches' All-America Team honorable-mention selection for the second year in a row.Â
Christine Chiricosta – Tennis – Class of 2011
Chiricosta was a three-time Academic All-America selection, the lone player in program history to earn that honor even once. Named to the All-MAC Team in each of her four seasons. Chiricosta was named to the Academic All-MAC Team in all three years of eligibility for the honor as well as being named an ITA Scholar Athlete in each of her four seasons at BGSU. She is the winningest player in school history, owning each of the program's three career wins records. Chiricosta finished with a total of 178 combined career victories, the most in BGSU history. She had 89 singles wins and 89 doubles victories, ranking first on both BG lists.
Top 50 Female Athletes Part 1Â HERE.
Top 50 Female Athletes Part 2Â HERE.
Top 50 Female Athletes Part 3Â HERE.
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.
Â
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