Bowling Green State University Athletics
The Falcons look to continue their consistency of being in the upper echelon of the MAC this season.
Women’s Cross Country Season Preview: Core Returners Look To Continue Consistency
August 28, 2024 | Women's Cross Country
Bowling Green, Ohio – For about the last decade and a half, consistency has been a key theme for the Bowling Green women's cross country team.
Since 2011 – when head coach Lou Snelling took over the program – the Falcons have finished in the top-half of the field at the Mid-American Conference Championship eight times, including three top-four placements in the last four seasons.
Snelling and the Falcons hope to keep the consistency rolling this year, as three of the squad's top runners return from last season in graduate student Kailee Perry and juniors Kylee Cubbison and Regina Rose.
Perry – who is competing in her sixth season of cross country at BG – earned second team All-MAC honors in 2022 and won an individual MAC title in 2020 while also being the top finisher at the MAC Championship and NCAA Great Lakes Regional for the Falcons last year.
"It's awesome to have her back," Snelling said. "You couldn't ask for more in terms of level of experience. She's in a really good place with her fitness right now. We're really excited for her to be back, and we're going to lean on her to lead the younger group as well."
Cubbison earned second team All-MAC with an 11th-place finish at the conference championship in 2023, and Rose placed in the top 25 at MACs and top 80 at regionals last season.
"We have this accomplished core group of returners back that are going to be really impactful," Snelling said of the trio. "They've all done some really impressive things and have had great moments in their careers. As long as those three are on, we really only need a couple more to be running well so good things can happen."
Snelling is also relying on his other returning juniors of Izzy Best, Emma Hellwege and Lillie Katsaras as well as sophomores Nora Ritting, Clare Valenza and Rachael Withrow to continue to take steps forward.
"Someone's going to step up from this returner group that hasn't quite taken that leap yet," Snelling said. "There are too many runners that are working too hard from that group. They're going to get there."
A quartet of freshmen in Amelia Barilla, Rachael Hoover, Lexi Panning and Reese Reaman and junior Madison Foster – who ran at Michigan State the last two years – round out the newcomers for the Falcons.
"It's a talented group of newcomers," Snelling said. "I definitely believe somebody's really going to step up from that group and be really impactful for us."
Despite some unproven talent on the team, the standard remains the same for the program as being a model of consistency in the MAC.
"Our goal is to continue to be one of the top-tier programs in the MAC," Snelling said. "We love to see that consistency. I think that'll set us up for that bigger moment down the line when we are winning a championship."
2024 Schedule
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'
Since 2011 – when head coach Lou Snelling took over the program – the Falcons have finished in the top-half of the field at the Mid-American Conference Championship eight times, including three top-four placements in the last four seasons.
Snelling and the Falcons hope to keep the consistency rolling this year, as three of the squad's top runners return from last season in graduate student Kailee Perry and juniors Kylee Cubbison and Regina Rose.
Perry – who is competing in her sixth season of cross country at BG – earned second team All-MAC honors in 2022 and won an individual MAC title in 2020 while also being the top finisher at the MAC Championship and NCAA Great Lakes Regional for the Falcons last year.
"It's awesome to have her back," Snelling said. "You couldn't ask for more in terms of level of experience. She's in a really good place with her fitness right now. We're really excited for her to be back, and we're going to lean on her to lead the younger group as well."
Cubbison earned second team All-MAC with an 11th-place finish at the conference championship in 2023, and Rose placed in the top 25 at MACs and top 80 at regionals last season.
"We have this accomplished core group of returners back that are going to be really impactful," Snelling said of the trio. "They've all done some really impressive things and have had great moments in their careers. As long as those three are on, we really only need a couple more to be running well so good things can happen."
Snelling is also relying on his other returning juniors of Izzy Best, Emma Hellwege and Lillie Katsaras as well as sophomores Nora Ritting, Clare Valenza and Rachael Withrow to continue to take steps forward.
"Someone's going to step up from this returner group that hasn't quite taken that leap yet," Snelling said. "There are too many runners that are working too hard from that group. They're going to get there."
A quartet of freshmen in Amelia Barilla, Rachael Hoover, Lexi Panning and Reese Reaman and junior Madison Foster – who ran at Michigan State the last two years – round out the newcomers for the Falcons.
"It's a talented group of newcomers," Snelling said. "I definitely believe somebody's really going to step up from that group and be really impactful for us."
Despite some unproven talent on the team, the standard remains the same for the program as being a model of consistency in the MAC.
"Our goal is to continue to be one of the top-tier programs in the MAC," Snelling said. "We love to see that consistency. I think that'll set us up for that bigger moment down the line when we are winning a championship."
2024 Schedule
| Date | Meet (Distance) | Course (Location) | Time |
| Fri., Aug. 30 | Tommy Evans Invitational (5K) | Silver Creek Cross Country Park (Norton, Ohio) | 6:15 p.m. |
| Sat., Sept. 14 | We Fly Championship Preview (6K) | Ball State Cross Country Course (Muncie, Ind.) | 3 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 5 | Paul Short Run (6K) | Goodman Campus Cross Country Course (Lehigh, Pa.) | 11:45 a.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 18 | Falcon Invitational (6K) | Mel Brodt Cross Country Course (Bowling Green, Ohio) | 5:15 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 2 | MAC Championship (6K) | Ball State Cross Country Course (Muncie, Ind.) | TBA |
| Fri., Nov. 15 | NCAA Great Lakes Regional (6K) | Silver Creek Cross Country Park (Norton, Ohio) | TBA |
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
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
/ Women's Cross Country
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Lou Snelling Post-NCAA Great Lakes Regional Interview (November 15, 2024)
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Lou Snelling Post-MAC Championships Interview (November 2, 2024)
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