BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Balance and consistency are two key traits that all track & field athletes must possess to maintain their proper technique and form to be successful.

As the 2024-25 BGSU track & field season begins, head coach Lou Snelling is looking for those attributes in his team as one, as they continue to build upon previous performances.

"We cover a lot of different areas [in track & field], Snelling said. "That's always been a focus of ours. We're not niche. We're not separate groups. It's about the whole thing, and I think we're in a good place with that this year."

The Falcons have operated well as a unit in recent years, as they earned top four finishes at the MAC Indoor Championships in each of the last two seasons and placed fourth at the 2023 MAC Outdoor Championships.

Snelling, who begins his 14^th season at the helm of the program, sees having a "vision of success" for the upcoming season as something that will help achieve the team's goals and expectations in order to keep their balance and consistency.

"We've been talking a lot about our values and relating that to the things we need to get done this semester to set ourselves up for success next semester," Snelling said. "We want to line up our biggest days and have the vision to see down the road to those biggest days where we talk about MAC Championships and what that means for the things you have to do today to get there in the best possible manner."

One group that has helped plant that vision for success is the distance runners, who earned a fourth-place finish at the MAC Cross Country Championships in November. Junior Kylee Cubbison, who earned second-team All-MAC honors at the meet, MAC Cross Country Freshman of the Year Lexi Panning and junior Regina Rose are looking to carry on their positive development and performance from the fall.

Rose and Panning are both slated to be a key contributor in the long-distance events such as the 3K, 5K and 10K races, while Cubbison, a two-time All-MAC track runner, is a hybrid between those races and middle-distance.

Snelling is looking for sophomore Rachael Withrow to "take a big step" particularly in the 5K and is "curious" to see how junior Michigan State transfer Madison Foster contributes.

Along with Panning, freshmen Rachael Hoover, Reese Reaman and Amelia Barilla are looking to build off strong cross country campaigns as well and can run middle-distance events as well.

BGSU will get key contributors back from the sprinters/jumpers group, as Bianca Staples and Morgan Patterson return who sprints/jumps/multis coach Reggie Trotter sees as potential MAC Champions in their respective events.

Staples earned second in the triple jump at both the MAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships last season, while Patterson placed in the top five at the conference meet in the long jump and 60m hurdles (indoor) and 100m hurdles (outdoor). Patterson also broke a 21-year-old program record in the 100m hurdles last season.

Transfers Christabelle Obi and Kiersten Franklin, from Division II Saint Augustine's and Cedarville, respectfully, will look to contribute in their first years at BG.

"They definitely add depth," Trotter said. "They also bring a little more age to the group having scored in other conference meets and knowing what it's like to be at that level. They get along with everybody, and they're definitely pushing the tempo at practices and making everybody rise to the next level."

Trotter also listed freshmen Erinae Coleman, Syerra Greber and sophomore Kiera Bonds as those who could contribute and take steps forward.

As for the throwers, Findlay transfer Trista Fintel will lead the unit. Fintel brings a wealth of experience and production to the Division I level, as she is a seven-time Division II All-American. She also won a national title in the indoor shotput.

"She is a phenomenal athlete," throws coach Marcus Myers said, who shared the same throws coach as Fintel at Patrick Henry High School. "Her range of events and being competitive in those range of events are substantial. I also think there's some natural leadership there with who she is as a person. She'll be an immediate impact."

Sierra Brinson and Emma Hoffman are two freshmen throwers Myers sees potential in that can also excel in multiple events. Brinson was the OHSAA Division III state champion in the discus last year, while Hoffman placed third in the event at the state meet as a sophomore.

Bowling Green will look to compete at high levels this season, with meets scheduled at Notre Dame, Michigan and Division II powerhouse Grand Valley State.

"We just want to keep building," Snelling said. "We just want to see those steps to the point where we're getting to where we want to be at come the MAC Championships. We want a consistent build and balance in a lot of different areas."

Season Schedule

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