Falcons Finish Third at MAC Championship, Hoover Sets New Program Record in 6K

Friday, October 30

Kalamazoo, Mich.

11 a.m.

Bowling Green State University

MAC Championship

Results

October 30, 2026 | Women's Cross Country

Results

By: by Sam Watson, BGSU Strategic Communications

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – On a crisp Friday morning, the Bowling Green women's cross country team finished third in a field of 12 at the MAC Championship in Kalamazoo. The Falcons set eight personal bests and a new school record at the Prairies Golf Club, outpacing four other regionally ranked squads.

In the home stretch of the race, Rachael Hoover found herself just outside the top seven runners. The defending 800m MAC Champion showed her strength, fighting her way to seventh place and First Team All-MAC honors. The junior's 20:14.9 race also set a new school record, edging out Kylee Cubbison's 10:24.1 6K at regionals a year ago.

"That's her first time being All-Conference from a cross country perspective," said Head Cross Country Coach Lou Snelling, "So to go straight to first team is pretty cool, just a real gritty performance."

Lexi Panning's 20:39.0 race was just a second shy of a personal record, but that mark notched a 13th-place finish. That placement secured her Second Team All-MAC honors for the second straight season.

"It's the second time that she's been All-Mac in cross country, and she was freshman of the year," said Snelling. "She consistently shows up at this moment, and I love the grittiness from her today, just competing, competing, competing. I don't think her tank was necessarily full out there, but she gave it everything she had, and I was just deeply proud of her."

Talya Schreiber continued to build on an impressive first season in the orange and brown. The freshman finished 17th overall at a personal record 20:44.3 6K, as Maggie Foust broke the 21-minute mark at 20:58.4 (25th), also a personal best.

Marissa Boone shaved nearly 15 seconds off her last 6K on this course, crossing the finish line 45th at 21:36.4. Lily Good cracked the 22-minute mark with a 21:47.8 run, eclipsing her old personal record that was achieved on the same course.
Morgan Wiechman rounded out the scoring for BGSU, setting Bowling Green's sixth personal record of the day at 21:48.0.

Both Leah Corby (22:10.0) and Anna Buddelmeyer (22:18.9) set personal records, and Maddy Foster rounded out the day for Bowling Green with a 22:26.7.

The Falcons will travel to East Lansing, Mich. for the NCAA Great Lakes Regional on Friday, Nov. 13.

"We're in a good place," said Snelling. "I think a lot of it right now is management. Over the next two weeks, how quickly can we get refocused? That's a tough one because this is a big physical, emotional commitment. Not necessarily easy to get dialed back in again and take another risk, but that's what we have to do. Regional bragging rights are out there for us. Last year we beat Indiana, we beat Michigan, we beat Ohio State. We love that sort of thing, and it's our opportunity to swing the bat again."