Ball State University Athletics
2009 Track and Field Season Preview
January 12, 2009 | Track & Field
by Andrew Lentz, Athletics Media Relations Student Assistant
With seven First Team All-Mid-American Conference returnees and a stellar incoming freshman class, the 2009 Ball State women's track & field team has high expectations for the upcoming season.
Entering their second full season under the direction of head coach Randy Heisler, the Cardinals are prepared to make a run at their first MAC Championship since 2001 when they claimed titles in both the indoor and outdoor competition.
“We're really excited about getting the season started and we count every day as an opportunity for us to train and get better,” said Heisler.
The Cardinals return 27 student-athletes from last season, including fifth-year seniors Amber Williams (sprints/hurdles), a 2007 NCAA All-American, and Christina Whitt (sprints). Both competitors redshirted in 2008.
Also returning for BSU are indoor All-MAC honorees juniors Brittany Ade (distance), Lisa Arrowsmith (distance), Ali Bishel (distance), Jenna Schmitmeyer (hurdles) and sophomores Thekla Lorenz (multi) and Ra'Jae Marable (hurdles/sprints). Junior Katie Johnson (hurdles/sprints) is the lone outdoor All-MAC returnee.
“When you look at the number of athletes we have returning and the accomplishments they were able to achieve last year, I expect us to vie for a conference championship,” said Heisler. “We return a number of conference champions, a number of conference athletes who performed in the top five at minimum and brought in an outstanding freshmen class,” Heisler said. “Our expectation is to win.”
Distance
Junior Ali Bishel, who redshirted for the 2008 cross country season due to injury, will be a key ingredient to the success of the 2009 track and field team as she looks to build on her success from a year ago. Bishel earned First Team All-MAC honors during the indoor season by placing first at the MAC Championships in the mile (4:53.72) and the 3000-meter run (9:40.59), with both times ranking in the top three in school history. Bishel further dove into the BSU record books by breaking the school-record in the 5,000m (16:21.66), qualifying her for the NCAA Championships, where she placed 16th.
“One of the keys to our team's success will be a healthy, competitive Ali Bishel,” said Heisler. “I believe Ali can score a number of points for us at the conference level in a number of different areas. She is extremely talented and will be an integral part of our success this season.”
Bishel was also a part of the distance medley relay team (pictured below) which took first-place at the MAC Championships with a time of 11:44.33, the fifth-fastest mark in BSU history. Joining her on the DMR team were fellow juniors Brittany Ade, Lisa Arrowsmith and Jenna Schmitmeyer.
Ade, who tallied BSU's second-best time of the 2008 season in the 800m (2:18.9) and the mile (5:03.32), and Arrowsmith are expected to perform at a high-level and be key contributors for the Cardinals this season.
“Brittany has a chance to be a factor in the 800 at the conference level,” said Heisler. “We're looking for her to really make a leap in performance based on the training she has had this fall. Lisa really has a chance to step up and compete for us with the level of experience and talent she has.”
The distance team will also include junior Sarah Kehe, sophomore Erin Filak, and newcomer Christine Talhelm.
Sprints/Hurdles
The sprints and hurdles squad is what Heisler calls “the backbone of the 2009 track & field team.” The team will gladly welcome back fifth-year seniors Amber Williams and Christina Whitt, plus will benefit from the return of juniors Katie Johnson and Jenna Schmitmeyer, as well as sophomore Ra'Jae Marable.
Williams was a 2007 All-American, the 2007 MAC Indoor and Outdoor Most Valuable Performer and a 2007 USA Track and Field Championships qualifier. She also holds school records in the 60m hurdles (indoor) with a time of 8.19 and the 100m hurdles (outdoor) clocking in at 13.18.
“Amber was by far the most talented athlete in the MAC two years ago,” said Heisler. “When we put her in events we walk into those meets fully expecting her to win. She's that good.”
Whitt, a 10-time all-state selection in high school, posted BSU's top-time in the 400m at the 2007 MAC Championships (54.97). Johnson and Marable have also enjoyed success in a Cardinal uniform, with Johnson being named to the First Team All-MAC by placing first in the outdoor 100m hurdles (13.68) in the MAC Championships, while Marable earned First Team All-MAC honors by finishing first in the indoor 60m hurdles (8.58) at the MAC Championships.
“We are really looking forward to having Christina back this year,” said Heisler. “She will add to our depth in this area and really give us an edge. We have the three best hurdlers in the conference (Williams, Marable, Johnson) all coming back this year. Those three young ladies have the ability to go to every event and change the outlook in the conference meet with what they do.”
Schmitmeyer placed sixth in the 400m hurdles (1:03.63) at the 2007 Outdoor MAC Championships while earning Indoor First Team All-MAC accolades as a member of the first-place distance medley relay team. Senior Lanae Stovall and sophomore Lindsay Bangert will also add to the depth to the sprints and hurdles team, while the Cardinals welcome freshmen Nikki Smith, Samantha Starcher, Kelsey Stephens and Janae Taylor.
“Our newcomers have a real chance to make an impact at the conference level,” said Heisler. “It's just a matter of how they'll fit in with our high level of depth.”
Jumps
The jumps team is yet another strong aspect of the Cardinals track & field team, led by six returning letterwinners in seniors Jessica Genovese and Lauren McNichols, as well as sophomores Lindsay Bangert, Kathleen Branson, Jerrica Edmonds and Brandi Robinson.
Heisler calls Bangert the number one returning long jumper in the MAC. Bangert recorded a personal-best in the long jump (19-2 3/4) at the MAC Championships, while adding a triple jump of 35-5 at the BSU Open.
“Lindsay is a tremendous athlete who will help us out a lot,” said Heisler. “Her ability to perform will be crucial to our success.”
Genovese and McNichols will be looked upon to provide leadership as the veterans of the group. Genovese tied for BSU's highest-jump of the season (5-5) at the Billy Hayes Invitational and added a first-place finish at the Dave Rankin Invitational (5-2 1/2). McNichols broke both of her school records in the indoor (12-0) and outdoor (11-7 3/4) pole vault events, while posting BSU's top 13 overall pole vault marks of the season.
“Jessica and Lauren will be leaders for us and I'm excited to see what they bring to the table this season,” said Heisler. “Both of them are very talented individually.”
Multievents
Senior Lanae Stovall and sophomore Thekla Lorenz will look to duplicate their high level of performance from 2008. Stovall had a spectacular showing at the 2008 Outdoor MAC Championships placing first in the shot put (36-10 1/4), third in the 100m hurdles (14.56) and fifth in the 200m dash (25.95) among heptathlon competitors, en route to an eighth-place finish in the heptathlon (4,422 points).
Lorenz gave Ball State its first-ever MAC Champion in the indoor pentathlon, scoring 3,793 points, which included a third-place finish in the shot put (37-05 3/4) and sixth-place efforts in both the 60m hurdles (9.0) and high jump (5-4 1/4) among pentathlon participants.
“Both of these women do so much for this program it's hard to put into words,” said Heisler. “They are very diverse and have a multitude of ways they can affect our team positively.”
Throws
In the throws, the Cardinals will miss the departure of Cara Collins, who broke the school record in the weight throw (60-7 3/4) last season. However, the opportunity for a new leader to emerge will be presented. Making up the throws team for the Cardinals are junior Tyra Schantz, and sophomores Lauren Cleaver and Jordan Puckett.
Schantz posted career-bests in the weight throw (47-3 3/4), discus (129-5), and hammer throw (141-0) a year ago. Cleaver recorded personal-bests in the shot put (37-8 ?) and discus (114-10), while Puckett led BSU in the javelin with a team-best throw of 90-8.
“Right now we're a little thin in the throws,” said Heisler. “We primarily have hammer, discus and javelin throwers, which are only outdoor events. During the indoor season, I look for Tyra to step up in the weight throw and Lauren to perform well in the shot put.”
Players Mentioned
