Bowling Green State University Athletics
Top 50 Female Athletes in BGSU History (Part II)
August 08, 2022 | General
The second 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.
Jackie Motycka – Basketball – Class of 1989
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1994. She scored 2,122 career points to become the most prolific scorer in school history, and held the BG scoring record for over two decades. Motycka, who left BGSU holding 21 school season and career records, remains one of only two players in league history to earn All-MAC First-Team honors four times. A two-time MAC Player of the Year (1986-87 and 1987-88), she led the league with a 20.2 points-per-game average in '87-88. Motycka led the Falcons to three consecutive MAC regular-season titles and three-straight league tournament crowns to conclude her career. She helped BG become the first MAC women's team to win a NCAA Tournament game, with a 69-59 triumph over Cincinnati in 1989 at Anderson Arena.
Andrea Szekely Burton – Swimming – Class of 1989
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. She set three MAC records in her freshman season, in the 100 yard butterfly, 200 fly and the 200 freestyle. Later that season she was named the Swimmer of the Meet at the 1986 MAC Championships, winning four individual events and one relay in that meet. Burton, who appeared in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" following that meet, would win a total of six individual MAC titles and two relays in her career. During her four years, the Falcons posted three second-place finishes and one third-place finish at the MAC Championships.
Beth Manson Puckett – Track and Field – Class of 1989
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2000. She was the first female track athlete to earn outdoor All-American honors in the history of the program after finishing sixth in the discus at the NCAA meet as a senior and eighth as a junior. When she graduated, she was one of only two female athletes in MAC history to earn All-American honors at least twice in track. Puckett held the MAC record in the discus until 1998 and was a two-time MAC champion in that event.
Paulette Backstrom – Basketball – Class of 1990
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1995. Backstrom was an integral member of the late 80s which captured three consecutive (1986-87, 1987-88,1988-89) Mid American Conference regular season and tournament championships. And, by virtue of winning the league tournament, three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, also. The point guard on those teams, Backstrom averaged 8.9 points and 7.2 assists her senior season, earning first team All-MAC honors in addition to being named the MAC Tournament MVP. Also in that senior campaign, Backstrom was the recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Award, given to the best female player in the nation under 5'6".
Angelene Bonner – Basketball – Class of 1990
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2000. Bonner, a 6-2 center, ended her career fifth on the BG list in scoring (1,412), second in field goal percentage (55,7%), first in free throw attempts (555), second in free throws made (354), third in rebounds (842) and first in blocks (155). She was selected to the BGSU All-Century Women's Basketball Team. She was a unanimous first team All-MAC Tournament MVP. She helped BG to a 100-22 overall record and a 58-6 MAC record in her four seasons as well as four MAC Tournament titles along with four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Linda Popovich Nicastro – Volleyball – Class of 1990Â
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1995. On the court, as a setter, she was a three time All-MAC selection, one of only three players in school history to earn league honors three times; the MAC Freshman of the Year in 1986, the MAC Player of the Year in 1989, and along with Tammy Schiller, the first Falcon player ever to earn All-Mideast honors (second team, 1989). Established BG career records for assists (4406, also a MAC record at the time), digs (1246, also a MAC record at the time), and aces (190, still stands). She was awarded the prestigious NCAA Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship in 1990 -- the second year that it was awarded.
Sara Collas – Track and Field / Cross Country – Class of 1991Â
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2006. Collas was a three-time All-MAC performer in cross country. Collas set the school record with a time of 17:12.6, finishing second in the MAC Championships. She also had her best career finish in the NCAA regional meet that year, placing eighth. In track, Collas qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 10,000 meters as a senior, placing 19th in the nation. That year, she set the school records in the 3,000 (9:35.32), 5,000 (16:27.4) and 10,000 meter events (34:17.9).
Megan McGuire – Volleyball / Basketball – Class of 1991
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2006. McGuire earned all-conference first-team honors in her senior year, placing fifth in the balloting for MAC Player of the Year. She earned MAC All-Tournament honors that season after averaging 16 points, six assists and four steals per game in the Falcons' run to the title. Just the fifth player in school history to score 1,000 career points, she ended her tenure with 1,062 points, which currently ranks 18th on the BG chart. Following the completion of her hoops career, she joined the Falcon volleyball squad for the 1989 season, and helped that team to its first-ever MAC regular-season title.
Tracy Gaerke Seeley – Track and Field / Cross Country – Class of 1991
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2016. She is the school record holder in the 800 and 1500 in outdoor track and field, as well as the indoor track and field 800. She was the first Falcon to qualify for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field National Championships, placing eighth in the country in 1988 with a time of 2:12.75. In fact, her school record time in the event came in the semifinals at those national championships. Gaerke was named the Most Outstanding Athlete at the 1989 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships after winning the 1500, placing second in the 800, third in the high jump and competing on the 1600 relay team.
Carla Marshack – Tennis – Class of 1992
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2006. Marshack was the first-ever BGSU female tennis player to capture a MAC singles title, capturing the crown at the number-one singles flight in her senior year of 1992. The team's No. 1 singles player in all four of her years in the Brown and Orange, she also was the school's first female tennis player to earn the top seed for the MAC Championships, doing so in her sophomore year of 1990. Marshack set the school records for singles wins in a season (23) and career (75) and total career wins (124).
View the first 10 announced members into the Top 50 Female Athletes 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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Jackie Motycka – Basketball – Class of 1989
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1994. She scored 2,122 career points to become the most prolific scorer in school history, and held the BG scoring record for over two decades. Motycka, who left BGSU holding 21 school season and career records, remains one of only two players in league history to earn All-MAC First-Team honors four times. A two-time MAC Player of the Year (1986-87 and 1987-88), she led the league with a 20.2 points-per-game average in '87-88. Motycka led the Falcons to three consecutive MAC regular-season titles and three-straight league tournament crowns to conclude her career. She helped BG become the first MAC women's team to win a NCAA Tournament game, with a 69-59 triumph over Cincinnati in 1989 at Anderson Arena.
Andrea Szekely Burton – Swimming – Class of 1989
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2001. She set three MAC records in her freshman season, in the 100 yard butterfly, 200 fly and the 200 freestyle. Later that season she was named the Swimmer of the Meet at the 1986 MAC Championships, winning four individual events and one relay in that meet. Burton, who appeared in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" following that meet, would win a total of six individual MAC titles and two relays in her career. During her four years, the Falcons posted three second-place finishes and one third-place finish at the MAC Championships.
Beth Manson Puckett – Track and Field – Class of 1989
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2000. She was the first female track athlete to earn outdoor All-American honors in the history of the program after finishing sixth in the discus at the NCAA meet as a senior and eighth as a junior. When she graduated, she was one of only two female athletes in MAC history to earn All-American honors at least twice in track. Puckett held the MAC record in the discus until 1998 and was a two-time MAC champion in that event.
Paulette Backstrom – Basketball – Class of 1990
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1995. Backstrom was an integral member of the late 80s which captured three consecutive (1986-87, 1987-88,1988-89) Mid American Conference regular season and tournament championships. And, by virtue of winning the league tournament, three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, also. The point guard on those teams, Backstrom averaged 8.9 points and 7.2 assists her senior season, earning first team All-MAC honors in addition to being named the MAC Tournament MVP. Also in that senior campaign, Backstrom was the recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Award, given to the best female player in the nation under 5'6".
Angelene Bonner – Basketball – Class of 1990
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2000. Bonner, a 6-2 center, ended her career fifth on the BG list in scoring (1,412), second in field goal percentage (55,7%), first in free throw attempts (555), second in free throws made (354), third in rebounds (842) and first in blocks (155). She was selected to the BGSU All-Century Women's Basketball Team. She was a unanimous first team All-MAC Tournament MVP. She helped BG to a 100-22 overall record and a 58-6 MAC record in her four seasons as well as four MAC Tournament titles along with four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Linda Popovich Nicastro – Volleyball – Class of 1990Â
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 1995. On the court, as a setter, she was a three time All-MAC selection, one of only three players in school history to earn league honors three times; the MAC Freshman of the Year in 1986, the MAC Player of the Year in 1989, and along with Tammy Schiller, the first Falcon player ever to earn All-Mideast honors (second team, 1989). Established BG career records for assists (4406, also a MAC record at the time), digs (1246, also a MAC record at the time), and aces (190, still stands). She was awarded the prestigious NCAA Walter Byers Postgraduate Scholarship in 1990 -- the second year that it was awarded.
Sara Collas – Track and Field / Cross Country – Class of 1991Â
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2006. Collas was a three-time All-MAC performer in cross country. Collas set the school record with a time of 17:12.6, finishing second in the MAC Championships. She also had her best career finish in the NCAA regional meet that year, placing eighth. In track, Collas qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 10,000 meters as a senior, placing 19th in the nation. That year, she set the school records in the 3,000 (9:35.32), 5,000 (16:27.4) and 10,000 meter events (34:17.9).
Megan McGuire – Volleyball / Basketball – Class of 1991
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2006. McGuire earned all-conference first-team honors in her senior year, placing fifth in the balloting for MAC Player of the Year. She earned MAC All-Tournament honors that season after averaging 16 points, six assists and four steals per game in the Falcons' run to the title. Just the fifth player in school history to score 1,000 career points, she ended her tenure with 1,062 points, which currently ranks 18th on the BG chart. Following the completion of her hoops career, she joined the Falcon volleyball squad for the 1989 season, and helped that team to its first-ever MAC regular-season title.
Tracy Gaerke Seeley – Track and Field / Cross Country – Class of 1991
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2016. She is the school record holder in the 800 and 1500 in outdoor track and field, as well as the indoor track and field 800. She was the first Falcon to qualify for the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field National Championships, placing eighth in the country in 1988 with a time of 2:12.75. In fact, her school record time in the event came in the semifinals at those national championships. Gaerke was named the Most Outstanding Athlete at the 1989 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships after winning the 1500, placing second in the 800, third in the high jump and competing on the 1600 relay team.
Carla Marshack – Tennis – Class of 1992
Inducted into BGSU Hall of Fame in 2006. Marshack was the first-ever BGSU female tennis player to capture a MAC singles title, capturing the crown at the number-one singles flight in her senior year of 1992. The team's No. 1 singles player in all four of her years in the Brown and Orange, she also was the school's first female tennis player to earn the top seed for the MAC Championships, doing so in her sophomore year of 1990. Marshack set the school records for singles wins in a season (23) and career (75) and total career wins (124).
View the first 10 announced members into the Top 50 Female Athletes 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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