Falcons Break Records, Capture Medals On First Day Of MAC Championships

In 2010, the Bowling Green State University track and field team scored six points over the entire course of the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships. In 2011, the Falcons surpassed that total in the very first point-earning event.

Jessie Rowland, a sophomore from Germantown, Ohio, won Bowling Green's first individual MAC indoor championship in four years, since Jamie Roflow won the 5000 meters in 2007. Rowland's throw traveled 19.45 meters (63-09.75) and broke the previous BGSU record, set in 2003, by over a foot and a half. She also obliterated her previous personal best in the event, and managed to do it all on her birthday.

However, this was not the only highlight of the first day of action at the two-day meet, held at Perry Field House on the campus of BGSU. Rowland's feat merely proved to be a harbinger of special things on this snowy Friday (Feb. 25) in Bowling Green.

In fact, Rowland was not the only Falcon to score in the weight throw. Ashley Harris scored three points and finished sixth after a toss of 16.94 meters (55-07.00), while Brooke Pleger earned seventh place and two points by throwing the 20 lb. weight 16.45 meters (53-11.75). 

All told, the fifteen points more than doubled BGSU's entire total from 2010.

Not to be outdone, senior Brittani McNeal chased down a medal in her final MAC indoor championship meet. McNeal garnered the silver medal by leaping 5.89 meters (19-04.00). Her jump nearly resulted in another gold for Bowling Green, falling less than two inches shy of Ashley Hunault (Western Michigan).

The Falcons rounded out their 28-point effort on the first day with a sound showing in the distance medley relay. Barbara Powers, Brittani McNeal, Heather Conger and Nicole Farr showed their experience and placed fourth, finishing in 11:50.72. The fourth-place effort netted five points.

Of course, while Bowling Green's athletes were making a splash in Friday's championship events, one was ensuring that said splash would wash into Saturday's festivities.

Sophomore sprinter Jeanette Pettigrew qualified for two championship races on Saturday by proving herself in Friday's preliminaries. Actually, Pettigrew did more than that – she became the second BGSU athlete to break a school record on Friday. In Pettigrew's case, though, she broke her own record.

Early in February, Pettigrew scorched the track for a 7.47-second 60 meter dash, breaking the school's old record set in 2003. On Friday, she ran even faster as she finished in just 7.43 seconds. Pettigrew won her heat and finished second overall, just .01 seconds behind Ashlee Abraham of Eastern Michigan. 

In the 200 meter dash, Pettigrew qualified fourth overall after posting a time of 24.72 seconds. As in the 60 meters, she will duel with Abraham for top honors.

The two championship races should provide the Falcons with several more points on Saturday. Combined with chances for points in events such as the 4x400 meter relay, the high jump and the shot put, Bowling Green has an opportunity for its highest team point total at a MAC indoor championship meet since 1999. The team has not exceeded 45 points since that year.

Return right here to BGSUFalcons.com on Saturday for another live blog as we track the Falcons' flight to new heights, then come back for a complete meet recap and final results on Saturday evening.

Final results from the first day can be found HERE. As with Friday's events, live stats to include all teams and athletes can be found HERE.  You can also view a photo gallery of Friday's action HERE.

STANDINGS, DAY ONE
1) Kent State                     34
2) Akron                             29
3) Eastern Michigan         28
     Bowling Green             28
5) Western Michigan        24
     Miami                            24
7) Ohio                               22
8) Toledo                           19
9) Central Michigan          10
10) Ball State                     8
       Buffalo                         8
12) Northern Illinois           0