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Falcons Ready for MAC Championship Image
The Falcons will compete in the MAC Championship at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Falcons Ready for MAC Championship

Wed, Oct, 28 | Men's Cross Country

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green men's cross country team will meet the climax of its season on Saturday when the Falcons race in the Mid-American Conference Championship. The Orange and Brown will compete against eight other MAC schools in the event, which will be held on the campus of Ohio University. The men's 8K race is set to get underway at 11 a.m.

More information on the MAC Championships can be found here.

Sizing up the Competition
It will certainly be a tough field at the MAC Championship on Saturday. Kent State (10th), Miami (11th), Eastern Michigan (12th) and Central Michigan (13th) are all ranked among the best teams in the Great Lakes region by the U.S Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. In the preseason poll, Kent State, Miami, Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan were picked to be the top four teams in the MAC with Miami expected to win the title. The Falcons were picked to finish ninth.

It's as easy as 1-2-3
It's been easy for Chris Moody, Jason Salyer and Jesse Smuda. The trio has finished 1-2-3 for the Falcons in their first five races. Moody, a junior, placed 36th on October 17 at the Falcon Invite. Salyer, a freshman was 44th and Smuda, a junior, was 74th.

Top Falcon
After leading the team in every race in 2008, Chris Moody is at it again as the junior from Davidsonville, Maryland has been the first Falcon to cross the finish line in each race this season. His top time of the season came in the Mel Brodt Invitational when he finished eighth overall in 25:11.3.

Freshman Phenom
One of the most positive developments of the season has been the solid running of freshman Jason Salyer. Salyer, who was expected to contribute right away, has been one of Bowling Green's most consistent runners this fall. Salyer's top performance was at the Mel Brodt Invitational when he ran a season best time in an 8K race of 25:46.5. Salyer has been keeping a better pace with Chris Moody with every race.

Record Breaker
Jesse Smuda, who has been the third Falcon to finish in every race this season, had his best performance as a member of the Orange and Brown in the Falcon Invite. The junior from Deshler, Ohio completed his personal best time in an 8K race finishing in 26:40.0. He ended up 74th in the race.

MACnificent Performances
In the program's history, 19 runners have combined to claim All-MAC honors 42 times. The latest to do so was Eddie Kipchoge in 2007. During her tenure at Bowling Green, head coach Cami Wells has helped three runners earn the honor.

1995
It has been awhile since the Falcons have been able to call themselves MAC champions in cross-country. The school's last championship came in 1995. Brad Schaser was the runner-up that year. Chris Koehler was the last Falcon runner to win the individual championship. He achieved that feat in 1981.