BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - One of the most accomplished gymnasts in Mid-American Conference (MAC) history is receiving the league's highest honor. Marny Oestreng, a former Bowling Green State University standout, has been named to the MAC Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The league office announced the latest induction class on Friday (March 14).

Oestreng is the 13th individual affiliated with Bowling Green to be inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame. She also gives BGSU its fourth consecutive year with an inductee, joining Dorothy Luedtke (Administrator, 2022), Mickey Cochrane (Men's Soccer, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Lacrosse, 2023), and Curt Miller (Women's Basketball, 2024).

"We are honored to celebrate the remarkable impact of our former student-athletes, coaches, and administrators, especially recognizing the exceptional achievements of these five individuals during their time in the Mid-American Conference," said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. "Welcoming this year's inductees into the MAC Hall of Fame is a true privilege."

"The MAC Hall of Fame stands as a tribute to the dedication and excellence of those who have competed and contributed to this outstanding conference," Steinbrecher added.

The MAC Hall of Fame was established by the MAC Council of Presidents in 1987. The charter class was inducted in 1988, with additional classes added in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1994. After six induction classes, the MAC Hall of Fame maintained 52 members until it was reinstated in May 2012. This year's class brings the total number of MAC Hall of Fame inductees to 130 individuals from 19 classes.

The 2025 MAC Hall of Fame class will be inducted on Thursday, May 29, at the Marriott Key Tower. Ticket information for the 2025 MAC Honors Dinner and Hall of Fame celebration will be announced at a later date.

Oestreng, a native of Trøgstad, Norway, became an NCAA champion while at Bowling Green and still holds the BGSU records in every individual event. Her school- and career-best score in the all-around was 39.600, and she also posted the program's best-ever scores in the floor exercise (9.975), uneven bars (9.950), vault (9.950), and balance beam (9.925).

Before coming to BGSU, Oestreng won four Norwegian junior all-around titles and then captured three Norwegian senior all-around titles. She competed in the European Championships in each of the five years before arriving at BG.

As a freshman in 1999, Oestreng won the NCAA title in the floor exercise. She was the final competitor of the NCAA meet and posted a score of 9.925 to win the title and earn All-America honors. She was the first-ever BGSU gymnast to qualify for the national meet, earning her spot by winning the floor exercise at the NCAA Region 4 meet, hosted by LSU. She posted a score of 9.950 to win that event and finished 11th in the all-around with a score of 38.600. Oestreng also tied for third on the bars at the regional meet.

Oestreng dominated the conference that year, winning the all-around title at the MAC Championships with a meet-record score of 39.600. She also claimed league titles in vault (9.875), bars (9.900, tying the meet record), and beam (9.850, tying the meet record). No gymnast in MAC history had ever won more than three individual titles in a single championship meet. Ironically, the only event she did not win at the 1999 MAC Championships was the floor exercise, where her score of 9.900 placed her second. She was named both the MAC Gymnast of the Year and the MAC Freshman of the Year.

During her remarkable freshman season, Oestreng won the vault event in 10 of 14 meets, bars and floor exercise nine times each, beam seven times, and the all-around in 11 of 14 meets. She later qualified for the World Gymnastics Championships in October 1999 in China after capturing the all-around title at the Norwegian Championships in June.

As a sophomore in 2000, Oestreng finished fifth at the NCAA Regionals in the floor exercise, eighth in the all-around, and 10th in the bars. She won the MAC all-around (39.450) and vault (9.875) titles and finished second in the floor exercise (9.900).

Oestreng's junior season saw her finish 12th in the all-around at the NCAA Regionals with a score of 38.275. She tied for top honors in the all-around at the MAC Championships (39.150) and also tied for first on bars (9.875).

As a senior in 2002, Oestreng helped lead the Falcons to one of the most successful seasons in program history, finishing with a 17-1 record—a school record for wins in a season. At that year's MAC Championships, she tied for first in both the all-around (39.175) and floor exercise (9.900) and tied for second on vault (9.875). She was named the MAC Senior Gymnast of the Year.

Oestreng, now Marny Østreng, resides in Trøgstad, Norway. She has two daughters. She owns Madisa Consulting for the past 11 years, delivering continuous improvement/Lean certification courses, Lean games, Lean counseling and coaching to some of the largest businesses in Norway.

Bowling Green Falcons in the MAC Hall of Fame