In their final tune-up meet before the MAC championships, the Bowling Green women’s track team topped a 15 team field with a first place finish, while the men’s team placed third.

The women’s team swept the relay events, winning both the 4×400 meter relay and the distance medley relay. The 4×400 time of 3:52.00 was BG’s best time this season by nearly two seconds. The distance medley team ran a 12:16.73 to beat Miami University’s 12:22.93. The 4×400 meter relay was the final event, and BG knew going into the meet that they wanted to win it. “It was awesome for the team to win the championship, it came down to the 4×400 (meter relay) and the whole team was around the track cheering and those girls in the 4×400 really stepped it up,” said thrower and onlooker Kerri McClung.

Alicia Taylor placed in each of her four events, winning the 60-meter hurdles in 8.65 seconds, placing third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.55 seconds, placing fourth in the 60-meter dash in 7.70 seconds, and as a part of the winning 4×400 meter relay. Taylor had a record day as she set personal records in each of her individual events. “I think I did really good today, I pr’d (set a personal record) in everything I did. I don’t focus on places I just try to run my race and pr in each of my events.”

Furthermore, sophomore Kerri McClung continued to improve in the shot put.

McClung placed second, but improved her throw to 15.25 meters, surpassing the NCAA provisional qualifying mark. “I can’t complain (about getting second place) when I throw a pr by nine inches and it only improved my provisional distance for nationals.”

In addition, the falcon 400-meter runners dominated the individual 400-meter dash, capturing three out of the top eight places. Sophomores Tamika Dixon and Ellen Alkire placed third and fourth for BG with times of 58.28 and 58.44 seconds, respectively, while senior JoVone Houpe ran a 58.79 to place sixth.

Three falcon high jumpers placed in the top eight as well. Sophomore Rachel Perme placed third with a jump of 1.67 meters, sophomore Erin Kosch and junior Bridget Kozy tied for fifth with jumps of 1.62 meters.

Junior Briana Killian placed third in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:16.49. Senior Lori Williams placed fourth in the weight throw with a throw of 16.88 meters and eighth in the shot put with a throw of 12.94 meters. Janean Johnson and Mary Willems placed seventh and eighth in the weight throw with throws of 16.17 meters and 15.70 meters. Nichole

Carter placed fifth in the triple jump with a distance of 11.23 meters.

Sophomore Amber Culp placed eighth in the 3000 meter run with a time of 10:39.29.

The Bowling Green men’s team placed third out of fifteen teams, behind Toledo and Akron. Zerian Peterson led the team to their only first place finish. Peterson placed first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 49.21 seconds. Peterson also placed fifth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.64 seconds.

Grant Shadden placed second in the 3000 meter run with a time of 8:27.40 and Josh Cook ran to a second place finish in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:54.92, just .3 of a second behind the winner.

Freshman Durond Clark placed third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.48. Jamal Salahuddin placed third in the shot put with a throw of 16.49 meters and eighth in the weight throw with a distance of 16.10 meters. Bowling Green’s distance medley relay also placed third, finishing with a time of 10:30.29, behind Ashland and Otterbein College.

In the pole vault, the Bowling Green men captured three of the top eight places. Drew Downey was third with a vault of 4.80 meters while Kerry Koontz and Hunter Downey tied for fifth with vaults of 4.65 meters.

Additionally, Dean Coticchia placed third in the high jump with a jump of 2.03 meters, while Bryan Gardner placed sixth with a jump of 1.98 meters. Gardner and Eric Peterson placed sixth and seventh in the long jump with leaps of 6.51 meters and 6.50 meters, respectively. Andre George placed sixth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.87 and Emmanuel Hendrix placed seventh in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.04 seconds.

In the distance events, Chad Kunkle and Tom Kutter placed sixth and seventh in the 5000 meter run with times of 15:18.28 and 15:26.98.

Justin Perez and Troy Stiles placed fifth and eighth in the mile run with times of 4:23.86 and 4:30.90.

Both the men’s and women’s teams will take this weekend off and begin preparation for the MAC Championships at Bowling Green on Feb. 22.