BGSU Cross Country Concludes Season at NCAA Great Lakes Regional

The Bowling Green State University men's and women's cross country teams travel to Rochester, Mich. on Saturday (Nov. 13) to conclude their 2010 season as they compete in the 2010 NCAA Division I Great Lakes Regional.

The Falcons will send each team's top seven runners from the Mid-American Conference Championships to represent BGSU at the regional.

Chris Moody, Jason Salyer, Rob Kelvey, Jesse Smuda, Greg Black, Josh Franek and Jeff Ehler represents Bowling Green's men's team.  Several of the men's entrants are running their final race for Bowling Green.  Moody, Smuda and Ehler are seniors; Kelvey is a graduate student. 

The women's team will be represented by Autumn Dettmann, Abby Koch, Tara Weiss, Heather Conger, Megan Kelsey, Barbara Powers and Katie Borgelt.  All but Koch and Borgelt are seniors and will run their final race as a Falcon on Saturday.

"The seniors have shown a tremendous amount of dedication and leadership during their careers.  It has been a joy to work with them during their careers, and I want them to finish off their cross country careers with the best effort they have to give and enjoy this final meet with their teammates," Falcons' Head Coach Cami Paulson said.

Regarding the athletes returning for 2011, Paulson added, "I want them to be able to trust themselves out there racing, regardless of the outside conditions or competition and to know that as long as they give the best effort they have to give, that is what determines success.  The effort is the most important factor whether it is a practice day or a competition day."

The women's 6K race begins at noon, while the 10K men's race begins at 1:15 p.m.

The Falcons will compete against 30 other men's teams and 32 other women's teams.  This total includes seven men's teams and eight women's teams from the MAC.  Ball State will also compete, but with only three women's athletes, they will not be counted in the scoring.

The top two teams qualify for the national championship meet, while the top four individuals from non-qualifying teams also go to the national meet.  The top 25 individual runners earn all-region status.

The meet, hosted by Oakland University, will be held at the Katke-Cousins Golf Course in Rochester.  For complete regional information, including record books, travel info, and course maps and descriptions, visit the Great Lakes Regional Championship Central here.

Meet results will be available here and at the preceding link after the conclusion of the meet.  A full recap will also be available here at BGSUFalcons.com.