Ball State University Athletics
Track & Field Places Two On All-Academic Team
August 15, 2008 | Track & Field
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Amanda Barnhart (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson H.S.) and Ali Bishel (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) from the Ball State track & field program have been named to the 2008 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team.
Barnhart, an elementary education major with a 3.67 grade-point average, completed her senior year with the BSU track & field program by competing in the 2008 NCAA Division I Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships. A First Team All-Mid-American Conference honoree, Barnhart battled wet weather conditions to leap 19'-6?” in the long jump competition at the NCAA Championships, after qualifying with an at-large bid by placing sixth at the 2008 Mideast Regional Championships with a height of 20'-9?”.
A member of the 2008 Mideast All-Region team, Barnhart captured the long jump title at the 2008 MAC Outdoor Championships with a distance of 20'-2?”. During the indoor season, Barnhart earned Second Team All-MAC honors after placing second in the long jump at the 2008 MAC Indoor Championships with a jump of 19'-5?”. She was also an Academic All-MAC selection for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Bishel, a landscape architecture major with a 3.72 grade-point average, was BSU's fastest distance runner during the 2008 outdoor campaign, leading the Cardinals in the 1,500-meter (4:40.67 at Dave Rakin Invitational), 5,000-meter (16:23.39 at Stan Lyons Invitational) and 10,000-meter (36:29.43 at MAC Championships). Bishel's time in the 10,000-meter at the 2008 MAC Outdoor Championships was good enough to place her fourth in the event.
During the 2008 indoor season, Bishel earned First Team All-MAC status after winning the mile (4:57.72) and the 3,000-meter (9:40.59) events at the MAC Championships. She was also a part of the first-place distance medley relay team that clocked in at 11:44.33 at the league event. She followed her MAC Championship performance by breaking the school record in the 5,000-meter at the Alex Wilson Invitational with a time of 16:21.66. The effort qualified her for the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships where she finished 16th (16:53.92). Bishel was also an Academic All-MAC selection for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.
A record total of 468 student-athletes representing 140 Division I institutions composed the women's 2008 All-Academic Team. To qualify, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 and have met either the NCAA Division I Indoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard or the NCAA Division I Outdoor regional or national qualifying standard in their respective event.
Players Mentioned
