Butler, Neal punch tickets to NCAA T&F Championships
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Bowling Green State University’s Kaila Butler and Zaresha Neal both qualified for the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Thursday while at the East Preliminary Championship at Indiana’s Haugh Track & Field Complex.
Butler qualified in the hammer throw, while Neal qualified in the shot put.
The top 12 student-athletes in each throwing event at the East Prelim advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Butler finished No. 2 in the hammer throw with a toss of 68.45m. Neal finished No. 10 in the shot put with a toss of 16.73m to secure her spot in Eugene.
Throws
• Butler’s toss will put her as the No. 5 national seed at the Championships in Eugene
• Butler’s toss was her second-longest of the season, behind only her PR of 69.35m at the Len Paddock Invitational
• Neal’s shot put toss was her third-longest of the season
BGSU Field Results
Shot Put – No. 10 Zaresha Neal – 16.73m (54-10.75)
Hammer Throw – No. 2 Kaila Butler – 68.45m (224-7.0)
“It is hard to describe the amount of pressure at this meet, particularly with the throws only getting three attempts with a national championship berth on the line. I am so proud of both Kaila and Z punching their ticket to Eugene. Z came up big on her last throw to qualify and Kaila is well positioned in the second flight at NCAAs,” said Lou Snelling, BGSU head track and field coach,
“Kaila and Zaresha did exactly what we talked about, they went out and competed. The rest took care of itself, and I couldn’t be prouder of both of them,” sid Derrick Vicars, BGSU throws coach.
Kickoff times announced for 8 football games
As part of the announcement of early-season football television selections, the Mid-American Conference announced Thursday the kickoff times and broadcast originations for Bowling Green’s first three football games of the 2022 season, as well as its November MACtion games.
Bowling Green’s season-opening game against UCLA at the Rose Bowl will kick at 2:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. local time) and air on the Pac-12 Network. BGSU’s home-opener, Sept. 10 vs. Eastern Kentucky, will start at 4 p.m. BGSU’s homecoming game the following weekend on Sept. 17 vs. Marshall will start at 5 p.m. The EKU game will air on ESPN3, while the Marshall game’s television network will be announced at a later date.
BGSU’s mid-week November MAC games were also announced. Home games against Western Michigan (Nov. 2) and Kent State (Nov. 9) will both kick at 7 p.m. The WMU game will air on either ESPN2 or ESPNU, while the Kent State contest will air on ESPN2, ESPNU or CBS Sports Network. BGSU’s road games at Toledo (Nov. 15) and the regular season finale at Ohio (Nov. 22) will also kick at 7 p.m. The Toledo game will air on ESPN2 or ESPNU, while the Ohio game will be broadcast on ESPNU or ESPN+.
The MAC also released the game time for the Akron (Oct. 1) road contest, which will kick at 3:30 p.m. The television selection is to be determined.
After the first three weeks of the season, game times and TV network selections will be announced weekly with the MAC’s television partners making their choices utilizing a 12-day advance notice beginning Sept. 12 (for games on Sept. 24). MAC television partners also reserve the right to use a six-day selection notice on a limited basis during the season.
Gurney, Johnston receive All-MAC honors
The Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday the MAC awards for the 2022 baseball season.
Bowling Green State University’s Kyle Gurney received Second Team All-MAC honors while Ryan Johnston was named to the All-MAC Defensive Team.
For Gurney, this is his second MAC season recognition after being the 2021 MAC Freshman of the Year. As for Johnston, this is his first All-MAC award.
Playing in 51 of the Falcons’ 52 games, Gurney consistently hit from the third spot in the order for Bowling Green during the 2022 season, leading the team with a .330 batting average. Gurney also led the team in hits (59) and on-base percentage (.424). He managed to finish the season tied for the team lead in home runs (9) and second in walks (26), total bases (97) and slugging percentage (.542). Gurney was third, or tied for third, on the team in runs (36) and RBI (37) while being fourth in doubles (11).
Playing in 48 of Bowling Green’s 52 games, Johnston was a defensive staple at shortstop for the Falcons, en route to being named the MAC’s shortstop on the conference’s All-Defensive Team. Johnston finished the season with a .975 fielding percentage, including 100 assists which was ninth in the conference. Johnston was also part of 25 double plays, tied for fifth in the MAC. Johnston continues a streak of seven straight seasons where BGSU has had a player named to the All-MAC Defensive Team.
Four-time defending MAC Champions unveil 2022 schedule
Bowling Green State University women’s soccer coach Jimmy Walker has announced his team’s schedule for the 2022 season. The four-time defending Mid-American Conference champions will play a 17-match regular-season slate that includes eight contests inside Cochrane Stadium.
The Falcons’ non-conference slate includes matches vs. opponents from the American, Big East, Big Ten, Horizon, Missouri Valley and Southeastern Conference.
“We are excited about our fall schedule,” Walker said. “Again this season, we have put together a very challenging non-conference schedule that will get us ready for Mid-American Conference play.”
The six-game non league slate includes a pair of road matches vs. teams that – like the Falcons – participated in the NCAA Championships in 2021. BGSU will travel to face Tennessee (Aug. 31) and Xavier (Sept. 16).
That non-conference schedule sees the Falcons open the regular season with a home game vs. Michigan State on Aug. 18. BGSU will host with Cincinnati (Aug. 25) and Detroit Mercy (Sept. 4) and travel to Valparaiso (Sept. 11) as part of that non-league slate.
Four of those six teams won 10 or more matches last fall. Those six teams combined to go 66-37-11 in the fall of 2021, for a 62.7% winning percentage.
Mid-American Conference play begins with a Battle of I-75 contest vs. Toledo, as the Rockets come to Cochrane on Sept. 22. The Falcons will host Ball State (Oct. 2), Ohio (Oct. 9), Buffalo (Oct. 16) and Miami (Oct. 20) in league action, while traveling to face Western Michigan (Sept. 25), Central Michigan (Sept. 29), Akron (Oct. 6), Kent State (Oct. 13), Eastern Michigan (Oct. 23) and Northern Illinois (Oct. 27).
Prior to the regular-season opener vs. MSU, the Falcons will play scrimmages at Michigan (Aug. 6) and at home vs. Oakland (Aug. 13) on back-to-back Saturday evenings.
The MAC Tournament begins with quarterfinal-round matches on Oct. 30, with the semifinals scheduled for Nov. 3 and the final slated for Nov. 6.
BGSU went 11-7-3 overall and won the MAC regular-season title with an 8-2-1 league mark in the fall of 2021. The Falcons captured both the league’s regular-season and tournament crowns for the fourth-straight season, and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the fourth time in as many years.
Elmwood looking for volleyball coach
Elmwood High School is still accepting applications for the position of head volleyball coach. Email resumes to Kevin Wolfe, athletic director, at [email protected]. All coaching positions require the successful candidate to obtain a pupil activity permit from the Ohio Department of Education and to pass a background check. The deadline to apply is June 15. Questions can be directed to at 419-655-2583 ext. 324.
