Coming off a 10th place finish at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships last month, the Bowling Green State University track team has a chance to start anew tomorrow when they compete in the Clemson Relays in Clemson, S.C. The Falcons had to deal with the loss of a few key runners to illness during the indoor season. Tamika Dixon’s season was cut short due to a ruptured appendix, and Brianna Killian was never able to start her season because of breathing problems that developed during the cross country season.
Head coach Scott Sehmann felt that his team could have finished closer to the middle of the pack had they not suffered those losses.
The Falcons should have ideal weather conditions to compete in this weekend. Temperatures are expected to be in the 70s, and there is no threat of rain.
Sehmann is happy to be moving on to the outdoor portion of the season.
“Everybody is a little more upbeat, knowing that spring is coming. They are certainly glad to be breathing air that is maybe not as dry,” Sehmann said.
Although several athletes are suffering from minor injuries caused by the normal wear and tear of the season, everybody will be able to go tomorrow.
The Falcons will begin the outdoor season without the services of their lone nationally ranked athlete, Mary Willems. Willems, who set BGSU and MAC records in the 20-pound weight throw at the Alex Wilson Invitational on March 7, will stay behind this weekend to honor a student teaching commitment. Willems is ranked 23rd in the nation in this event.
Kerri McClung will lead the Falcons in the shot put. McClung is coming off a first place finish at the MAC Championships in this event. She won the event with a throw of 49 feet, 3 inches, a season high.
In the relay portion of the meet, the Falcons will look to build upon season-best times that were set in both the 4 X 400 meter relay and the distance medley at the MAC Indoor Championships. In the 4 X 400, Alicia Taylor, Erin Leeper, Ellen Alkire and Amber Walker shaved more than six seconds off their previous best time, finishing in 3:50.27. Walker, Alkire and Amber Culp beat their previous season best by 12 seconds in the distance medley, running it in a time of 12:13.62.
Leslie Carden and Kristin Spicer will also look to build upon season best times established at the MAC Championships in the 5000 meters. The runners finished the event in times of 19:34.07 and 19:48.41, respectively.
The Falcons will be represented in the sprint events by Alicia Taylor, Amber Walker, Valerie Holland and Marquita McGowan. Taylor finished ninth in the 60 meter dash at the MAC Championships with a time of 7.71. Holland placed 24th with a time of 8.02 and 22nd in the 200- meter dash with a time of 26.08. Walker finished 11th in the 400 meter dash with a time of 56.95. McGowan placed 23rd in both the 200 and 400 meter events with times of 26.16 and 59.32, respectively.
The meet is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.