Falcons Take Positive Steps at All-Ohio Championships

RESULTS (.html):

MEN (CHAMPIONSHIP - OVERALL)                    MEN (OPEN RACE)
MEN (CHAMPIONSHIP - BY DIVISION)
WOMEN (CHAMPIONSHIP - OVERALL)             WOMEN (OPEN RACE)
WOMEN (CHAMPIONSHIP - BY DIVISION)

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CEDARVILLE, Ohio -- The Bowling Green State University men's and women's cross country teams demonstrated a movement in the right direction as they competed on Friday, Sept. 30 in soggy and windy conditions at the 2011 All-Ohio Championships.

Despite losing three of last season's top five runners, the men's team matched last year's 13th place overall finish in the championship 8,000 meter (8K) race.  Bowling Green was running against 44 other teams from across Ohio.  The Falcons placed eighth among all NCAA Division I teams at the meet..

Jason Salyer led the Falcons with a 32nd place finish (25:57.45), which was well within the top 20 percent of all runners.  He improved his standing by 16 places from 2010 to 2011.

Greg Black was the second Falcon to cross the finish.  He ended the event with a time of 26:22.22 to place 64th.  Black's time beat his previous 8K best by 25 seconds.

Josh Franek also set a personal best time in the 8K when he finished the run in 26:53.78.  Franek and freshman Kevin Budge joined Salyer and Black in the top half of the championship field.

In the men's open race, Joe van Bolderen led the BGSU runners with a personal-best 8K time of 28:13.63.  That time eclipsed his old personal mark, set at last year's All-Ohio meet, by 30 seconds.

Head Coach Lou Snelling said, "The men displayed improving fitness, especially considering it was their first 8K of the season.  Most of our top five set personal records on a slow day.  They should only improve as we go through the season."

Several members of the BGSU women's cross country team, who are redshirting this season, ran as unattached athletes in the women's open 5,000 meter (5K) race.

That group was led by Abby Koch, who won the open event by completing the distance in 18:49.56.  She was joined in the top ten by freshman redshirt Andrea Alt, who placed sixth in 19:16.78.

Four other freshmen ran unattached in the open race.  Three placed in the top quarter of the field, which included 281 runners.  Maria Dahlinghaus placed 46th (20:20.31), while Maria Meredith finished 58th (20:39.36).  Meghan Maurer crossed the finish in 20:52.20 for 69th place.

Veronica Bruns also finished in the top half of the field, as she ran the 5K in 21:30.29.

Five Falcons competed in the women's championship 5K race.  Alixe Korsnack led that group with a final time of 20:19.39.

Snelling said, "I was excited to see Abby win in her first race of the season.  She ran smart in sloppy and windy conditions.  Andrea ran step for step with Abby in the first third of the race.  For a true freshman, she has been very impressive.  Both have the potential to be accomplished runners down the road."

Bowling Green's next meet occurs in two weeks when the Falcons travel to Muncie, Ind. for the Ball State Invitational on Friday, Oct. 14th.