BLOG 14: Bulldog senior Green ready to give it all she has

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State women’s cross country runner Jackie Green is looking forward to competing in the NCAA Division Women’s Cross Country National Championships in Slippery Rock, Pa. on Saturday (Ferris State University Photographic Services)

BIG RAPIDS – It has been almost like a fairytale end to the cross-country season for Ferris State University senior runner Jackie Green.

Green and her teammates have one more big cross country meet to participate in: the biggest of the season for all NCAA Division II cross country teams. Saturday, Ferris is in Slippery Rock, Pa. to compete in the 28th annual NCAA Division II National Championships for the first time since 1987. The 6K race, scheduled to begin at 1:15 p.m., will take place at Cooper’s Lake Campground.

Having the opportunity to compete against the best cross country runners Division II has to offer has been nothing short of a dream come true for a senior like Green. This dream come true started based on an amazing effort as Ferris placed third in the 2008 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championships (Nov. 8), hosted by the University at Katke Golf Course, to earn its spot in the national field.

“The (regional) meet was amazing. I went in thinking it was going to be my last race ever and I just wanted to leave it all out there on the course,” said the intense and energetic Green, a native of Portage who placed 39th in the regional meet at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids in a time of 23:50. “I can remember the last like 400 meters. I just wanted to be done and all I could think was to give it everything I had. I tried to pass as many girls at that finish as I could.”

That give-it-all-you’ve-got mindset was shared by all of Ferris’ runners. In the end, it paid off. The Bulldogs’ success required a complete team effort as they earned the final of the three team bids to the national championships by the slimmest of margins: two points. The last time the Bulldogs went to the women’s cross country nationals was 1987. Green was only about a couple of years old and some of her teammates were not even born back at that time.

A number of runners stepped it up at the regional, according to the Portage Northern High School graduate. Said Green, “I know Paige Onweller did the same thing after an injury she came back from and really helped out the team. Nikki Wiers also impressed me. She came in there and gave it her all and, under the conditions (snowy weather, cold and slippery conditions) outside, ran a great race. I was just really happy with the whole team. I’m so glad we had Coach Steve (Picucci) here to help get us where we need to be.”

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com