BGSU Track/Cross Country Adds 16 to 2024-25 Roster
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green cross country/track and field program has announced the addition of 16 newcomers who will compete during the 2024-25 season.
"This is a great incoming class," head cross country/track & field coach Lou Snelling said. "It reflects our balance as a program with all event areas being represented and desire to win MAC Championships. These athletes all have strong commonalities; athletic accomplishment at the highest level, strong academic prowess, big desire to do both at the highest levels in division one, great leadership abilities, and amazing character. They are a great fit for our Falcon Family."
Amelia Barilla
Penn Trafford High School
Trafford, Pa.
800m: 2:15.25
1,600m: 5:09.79
"We'll look for Amelia to give us immediate depth in the middle distance events and grow into a strong presence in cross country. She has a strong work ethic, and I look forward to watching her development at Bowling Green." -- Coach Snelling
Sierra Brinson
Dixie High School
New Lebanon, Ohio
Discus: 152'5"
Shot Put: 45'5.5"
Hammer Throw: 106'
Weight: Throw: 36'2.5"
"Sierra Brinson comes in with a wide range of abilities in all the throws events posting top marks in all divisions in the shot put and discus during her senior campaign. Don't let her quiet demeanor fool you. She is a fierce competitor when the tape comes out. She is a dedicated individual to what she does, and I think she has only scratched the surface of what she can do as a thrower. I believe that she will have a big role in continuing throws excellence here at BGSU." -- Assistant Coach (Throws) Marcus Myers
Erinae ColemanPrinceton High School
Cincinnati, Ohio
100m: 11.9
200m: 25.2
"Erinae comes in a decorated State and National sprinter anchoring the Division 1 Ohio State Championship team in both the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. That same 4x100 team later went on to Adidas Nationals and finished 1st with her placing 4th in the 100 as an individual. She is a dynamic starter and personality that will bring a great edge to the sprints group and help take our team to the next level on and off the track." -- Assistant Coach (Sprints/Jumps/Multis) Reggie Trotter
Trista Fintel
Patrick Henry High School/University of Findlay
Deshler, Ohio
Discus: 156'4"
Shot Put: 52'7"
Weight Throw: 66'7"
Hammer Throw: 195'2"
"Trista Fintel comes to us as a grad student after a phenomenal career at the University of Findlay. She is a seven-time First Team All-American including an indoor national title in the shot put in 2023, as well as an indoor national runner-up in the weight throw at the 2024 Division II Indoor National Championships. Trista will add to the long list of high-level throwers that our program has seen throughout the years. She will be an immediate impact at the MAC and NCAA level. We are excited for Trista to add to our culture and be a model to our underclassmen of what commitment to excellence can result in. Trista does not like to lose, and I am looking forward to being a part of what she will accomplish in an Orange and Brown uniform." -- Coach Myers
Madison Foster
Bedford High School/Michigan State University
Lambertville, Mich.
1,600m: 5:00.94
3,200m: 10:47.55
5,000m: 17:41.0
"Madison had a great senior year showcasing her strength as a true distance runner placing top five in the state at the division one level. She joins us after competing at Michigan State. Madison is excited for an individualized and holistic experience while pursuing a top-notch Forensic Science degree." -- Coach Snelling
Kiersten Franklin
Lehman Catholic High School/Cedarville University
Albany, Ga.
100m: 11.7
200m: 24.2
400m: 55.3
"Kiersten joins us after spending her previous two years at Cedarville University where she scored in every event she competed in, both indoor and outdoor. Her range in all sprinting events will serve as a catalyst in propelling our team to new heights in the coming years." -- Coach Trotter
Syerra Gerber
St. Mary's High School
St. Mary's, Ohio
100m: 12.2
200m: 25.4
400m: 56.9
"Syerra comes in a versatile athlete placing 5th in the 400 at the Ohio State Meet and qualifying in the 100. She is a raw multisport talent with a very high ceiling. The improvements she has made over her senior year have shown the potential to not only compete at this level but be a conference scorer on a year-to-year basis." -- Coach Trotter
Tyyetta Herman
Franklinville High School
Franklinville, N.Y.
100m: 12.2
200m: 25.2
400m: 57.01
"Tyyetta is a multisport athlete with tremendous upside. She placed 3rd in the 400 in both 2023 and 2024 at the New York Division 2 State Championships while also placing 5th in the 100m. Her drive for improvement and consistency will play a major role in sparking the team in practice and at the meets." -- Coach Trotter
Emma HoffmanOttawa-Glandorf High School
Ottawa, Ohio
Discus: 148'9"
Shot Put: 39'1.5"
Weight Throw: 36'5"
"Emma Hoffman is a fantastic addition to the BGSU throws group where she will focus on the discus and hammer/weight throws throughout her college career. Her mindset is exactly what we are looking for to have in our program. Her overall commitment and obsession with the throwing events are what have led her to being one of the best discus throwers in the sate this year. I believe that her addition to our throws program will elevate our culture and our competitiveness at the MAC/NCAA level. We are excited to see what she does in a BGSU uniform next year." -- Coach Myers
Fairbanks High School
Plain City, Ohio
800m: 2:15.13
1,600m: 4:56.03
"Rachael has a ton of upside athletically. With time and development, she can make an important impact on BG XC/TF. Combine that with a strong leadership skillset and academic record, we're excited for her to join the Falcon Family. Rachael had a great senior track season placing third in the state in both the 1,600m and 800m." -- Coach Snelling
Christabelle ObiHuron High School/Saint Augustine's University
Ypsilanti, Mich.
100m Hurdles: 14.51
400m Hurdles: 1:02.08
"Christabelle comes to us as a combo hurdler from Saint Augustine's University with a tremendous up side. Her versatility as a runner show strong potential to score in both the 100 and 400 hurdles in our conference. Her experiences at the collegiate level will bring leadership to the team that will make an immediate impact to team culture and help move us in the right direction." -- Coach Trotter
Lexi PanningConcordia Lutheran High School
Fort Wayne, Ind.
3,200m: 10:33.66
5,000m XC: 17:50.6
"I really look forward to watching Lexi develop in her time at Bowling Green. She is a true distance athlete that will make an immediate impact on our team and the MAC. Lexi took big steps in 2023 as she focused more on the sport placing 6th in the state of Indiana in the 3,200m and 7th in cross country. She followed that up with 5th place finish in the state in the 3,200m her senior year running 10:33.66." -- Coach Snelling
Sierra Podolan
Highland High School
Medina, Ohio
Discus: 146'1"
Shot Put: 42'2.75"
"Sierra Podolan will cover a range of throws for us during her time as a Falcon. With a big frame, love for the weight room, and an edgy competitive mindset, her potential is unmeasured. I'm excited to see how she takes to the weight and hammer throw with consistent training. Sierra and I share similar values, and both see that there is a lot more that she has to offer as an athlete. I believe that she will be an athlete that sees many MAC finals in a multitude of events throughout her career." -- Coach Myers
Reese ReamanWoodridge High School
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
800m: 2:10.00
1,600m: 4:52.15
5,000m XC: 17:38.2
"Reese has a huge range of abilities. Last spring, she stepped all the way down to the 200m to help her team at their league meet and won the OHSAA Division II State Title in cross country this past fall. This semester Reese won a bevy of state titles in the 800m (indoor & outdoor), 1,600m and 4x800m. The sky is the limit on what she can accomplish in all three seasons during her time at Bowling Green." -- Coach Snelling
Fostoria High School
Fostoria, Ohio
Discus: 131'2"
Shot Put: 37'11"
"Karma Williams is truly a diamond in the rough type of kid. She is extremely athletic and a multi-sport individual. Her ability to accelerate and create speed across the ring is something that you either have or you don't. She will add to our depth in the discus for us, but I believe she will find a lot of success in the hammer throw too. I'm excited to work with another great athlete that has the mindset of a champion." -- Coach Myers
Luke LesseuerShelby High School
Shelby, Ohio
800m: 2:03
1600m: 4:33
3200m: 9:56
"Luke has the turnover of a middle-distance athlete, but the rhythm of a long-distance runner. I believe he will make an immediate impact on this team, not only physically, but his open-minded attitude will take him and the team far. This is a young squad we have, and Luke contributes many skills we will need in his career here at Bowling Green." -- Assistant XC/T&F Coach Candace Archer
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