After sitting in eighth place with only seven points, the BG women’s track team came back to finish in fifth place with 71 points at this weekend’s All-Ohio track and field championships. Host team Ohio State won the meet at home with 158.5 points, followed by Akron (123), Miami Ohio (112.5) and Kent State (111.5). While the Falcons did not take top honors, the team did come away from the meet with several records and personal best times.
“Overall, I think we had quite a few improved performances and efforts by our team. We had many season’s bests and improved concentration,” head coach Scott Sehmann said. “In some cases, we need to practice harder and follow through. You certainly compete how you practice and we had a little of that reflected this weekend in some of our successes.”
The concentration of the Falcon relay teams paid off in the form of a new school record and two top eight finishes.
Alicia Taylor, Valerie Holland, Jessica White, and Amber Walker recorded a time of 44.33 in the 4 x 100 meters to break the previous school record of 46.56 and take second place. The 4 x 400 meter relay team of Taylor, Walker, Lyndi Springer and Marquita McGowan finished eighth
The sprinters continued their impressive performances as Holland took third in the 100 meter dash in 11.83, the second best time in school history.
Taylor took third in the 100 meter hurdles, while teammate Nicole Standback finished fifth. Holland and Taylor also took third and sixth place in the 200 meter dash. In the 400 meter hurdles, Springer finished eighth.
The distance runners also performed well. Melissa Krueger placed third in the 1500 meter run, while teammates Bridget Dalic and Leslie Carden took eighth and ninth respectively in the 10,000 meter run. Nicole Suitor placed sixth in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.
In field events, BG had several athletes in the top eight to score points for the team. Erica Wilson took second place in the high jump. Her mark of 19’5.5″ was a personal best. Teammate Veronica Vance places fourth in the triple jump. Thrower Kerri McClung finished second in the shot put and Liz Honegger placed seventh in the discus.
Sehmann noted that the weather was a factor and the team still has several areas to work on before the end of the season.
“It was extremely windy and in the eighties, and there were people sitting out in the sun all day. We need to find the shade and stay hydrated,” Sehmann said. “We also need to be more intense and focused, willing to give ourselves Monday through Friday and then compete on Saturday.”
The Falcons will continue to work on improving themselves as this week before traveling to Hillsdale College for the Hillsdale Relays this weekend.
