Ball State University Athletics
Outdoor Track Places Three On Academic All-MAC Team
June 16, 2008 | Track & Field
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Amanda Barnhart (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson), Cara Collins (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield) and Ali Bishel (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) have all been named to the 2008 Women's Outdoor Track and Field Academic All Mid-American Conference Team.
The team was voted on by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives from among a list of student-athletes who have excelled in athletics and academics. The year's squad includes 23 honorees due to ties.
Barnhart is majoring in elementary education and holds a GPA of 3.66. She was a First Team All-MAC selection after winning the long jump event at the conference championships with a distance of 20-2 ?. She set a regional qualifying mark of 19-9 ? when she placed second at the Stan Lyons Invitational. Barnhart qualified for the NCAA Championships as an at-large bid after placing sixth at the 2008 Mideast Regional Championships with a leap of 20-9 ?. She was named to the Mideast All-Region team for placing in the top eight of her event. Barnhart ended her senior season with a jump of 19-6 ? at the NCAA Championships.
Collins is majoring in public relations and holds a 3.88 GPA. She led the Cardinals in the shot put, discus and hammer throw events. Two of her best marks of the season came at the Stan Lyons Invitational. She threw the hammer 177-1 to earn fifth place at the meet, but more importantly the mark moved her to second all-time in BSU history. She also threw the discus 147-3 for a fifth place finish. Her mark of 147-3 moved her to fifth all-time in school history. Her best shot put distance came at the Mike Poelein Invitational with a toss of 43-0 ?.
Bishel is a landscape architecture major with a GPA of 3.71. She led the Cardinals by running the fastest time on the team in the 1,500-meter, 5,000-meter and 10,000-meter run during the outdoor season. Her best 1,500-meter run time was 4:40.67. She won the 5,000-meter run at the Stan Lyons Invitational with a time of 16:23.39. Finally, her best 10,000-meter run time came at the conference championships. Bishel placed fourth clocking in at 36:29.43.
To qualify a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.
