Track & Field Wins 8 Events at IWU Invitational

MARION, Ind. - - It was a great day for the Ball State indoor track & field team which won eight of the nine events it competed in at the Indiana Wesleyan University Invitational Saturday afternoon at Troyer Indoor Fieldhouse.

Competing against student-athletes from six other collegiate programs, the Cardinals also managed to record 20 top 5 marks and 12 career-best performances.

On a day full of strong individual efforts, junior sprinter Peyton Stewart provided perhaps the biggest highlight with her first-place time of 7.61 in the 60m dash. The effort is a Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship automatic qualifying mark, making her the third Ball State student-athlete to lock up a spot in the championships so far this season.

Ball State's best overall race of the day was the 1000m, with Cardinals taking the top four spots led by a winning time of 3:01.39 from sophomore Brooke Talhelm.

Senior Gabby Sims took top honors in the 400m dash, clocking in at 59.30, while sophomore twin sisters Maritza Rodriguez and Meliza Rodriguez each recorded personal-bests on their way to first (5:17.61) and third-place (5:33.35) finishes, respectively, in the mile run.

The Cardinals also picked up a pair of relay victories, taking top honors in both the 4x400m and the 4x800m. Amber Jones, Bryeana Byrdsong, Paris Carver and Jazmin Smith combined for a time of 4:03.40 to win the 4x400m. Emmalyne Tarsa, Cayla Eckenroth, Kaylor Hoover and Hannah Cummings finished the 4x800m relay with a winning time of 9:57.78.

In the field events, junior Regan Lewis took first place in the high jump (1.68m / 5'-6"), while senior Adrienne Mayfield won the weight throw (16.09m / 52'-9.5").

Next up for the Ball State indoor track & field team is the Fred Wilt Open hosted by Purdue Jan. 26-27.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State track & field, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateTFXC.

Ball State Individual Results at the IWU Invitational

60m Dash
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 7.62 - School Record: 7.33 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1998
1st - Peyton Stewart – 7.61
2nd - Jazmin Smith – 7.74*
5th - Bryeana Byrdsong – 7.83
6th - Jasmine Harris – 7.87 (7.85 prelim)
7th - Paris Carver – 7.89*
8th - MaQuila Norman – 7.98 (7.92* prelim)
DNP - Ivy McKee – 7.91 prelim
DNP - Amber Jones – 8.00 prelim
DNP - Anna-Kay West – 8.00 prelim
DNP - Dejah Johnson – 8.02 prelim

400m Dash
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.70 - School Record: 55.11 by Linise Gordon in 2000
1st - Gabby Sims – 59.30

1000m Run
1st - Brooke Talhelm – 3:01.39*
2nd - Emmalyne Tarsa – 3:08.65*
3rd - Hannah Cummings – 3:09.41*
4th - Cayla Eckenroth – 3:15.63*

Mile Run
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:53.21 - School Record: 4:50.10 by MaryKate Mellen in 2013
1st - Maritza Rodriguez – 5:17.61*
3rd - Meliza Rodriguez – 5:33.35*
6th - Kitty Taylor – 5:39.98
7th - Lauren Whitehouse – 5:44.77

4x400m Relay
   School Record: 3:39.94 (c) by Jada Phelps, Angka Morris, Patricia Soman and Linise Gordon in 2001
1st – Amber Jones, Bryeana Byrdsong, Paris Carver, Jazmin Smith – 4:03.40
2nd – Anna-Kay West, Brooke Talhelm, Emmalyne Tarsa, Kaylor Hoover – 4:03.55
3rd – Gabby Sims, MaQuila Norman, Ivy McKee, Dejah Johnson – 4:03.81

4x800m Relay
1st – Emmalyne Tarsa, Cayla Eckenroth, Kaylor Hoover, Hannah Cummings - 9:57.78

High Jump
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m / 5-6.5 - School Record: 1.81m / 5-11.25 by Regan Lewis
1st - Regan Lewis – 1.68m (5-6)
4th - Hailley Peters – 1.65m (5-5)*

Shot Put
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.82m / 48-7.5 - School Record: 14.77m / 48-5.75 by Gena Rusch in 1990
2nd - Kelsey Walters – 12.95m (42-6)
DNP - Jada Caldwell - NM

Weight Throw
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 17.88m / 58-8 - School Record: 18.55m / 60-10 by Marie Lumpkin in 2015
1st - Adrienne Mayfield – 16.09m (52-9.5)
4th - Princess Carter – 14.34m (47-0.75)*
5th - Kelsey Walters – 13.95m (45-9.25)
8th - Abby Denham - 12.77m (41-10.75)*
9th - Megan Graves - 12.64m (41-5.75)
14th - Jada Caldwell – 10.43m (34-2.75)

* Denotes Career-Best Performance

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Players Mentioned

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Princess Carter

Paris Carver

Hannah Cummings

Abby Denham

Cayla Eckenroth

Megan Graves

Jasmine Harris

Kaylor Hoover

Dejah Johnson

Amber Jones

Regan Lewis

Adrienne Mayfield

Ivy McKee

MaQuila Norman

Hailley Peters

Maritza Rodriguez

Meliza Rodriguez

Gabby Sims

Jazmin Smith

Peyton Stewart

Brooke Talhelm

Emmalyne Tarsa

Kitty Taylor

Kelsey Walters

Anna-Kay West

Lauren Whitehouse