Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
IWU Invitational (Indoor)
Williams Posts Three First Place Times At IWU Invite
January 31, 2009 | Track & Field
MARION, Ind. - - Senior Amber Williams turned in three first place finishes to help lead the Ball State women's indoor track & field team at the Indiana Wesleyan University Invitational Saturday afternoon at IWU Indoor Sports Complex.
“Overall, I am pleased with our effort this afternoon,” said BSU head coach Randy Heisler. “We had several athletes turn in solid performances, led by Amber's three first-place finishes. I also thought Janae Taylor and Lindsay Bangert gave us a strong effort. This was a good tune up for next weekend's meet at Notre Dame.”
Williams took home top honors in the 60-meter dash (7.63), the 200-meter dash (25.25) and the 60-meter hurdles (8.44), with all three times being IWU Indoor Sports Complex records. In addition, her time in the 60-meter hurdles was .01 seconds shy of an NCAA Women's Indoor Track & Field provisional qualifying mark of 8.43.
Taylor followed close behind in the 60-meter dash, placing fourth with a time of 7.91. She also placed second in the 200-meter dash (25.55).
Also scoring individual event wins on the track for the Cardinals were; Jenna Schmitmeyer (59.71; 400-meter dash) and Megan Bevans (2:22.01, 800-meter run).
In the relay events, Schmitmeyer, Kelsey Stephens, Thekla Lorenz and Katie Johnson took first in the 4x400-meter relay with a time of 4:01.63, while Ali Bishel, Erin Filak, Brittany Ade and Lisa Arrowsmith earned top billing in the distance medley relay with a track-record clocking of 12.16.93.
In the field events, Bangert posted a track-record leap of 18-09.75 (5.73m) to win the long jump, while tying teammate Jerrica Edmonds for second in the triple jump with a distance of 35-09.25 (10.90m).
Lauren McNichols tied for first place in the pole vault, posting a vault of 11-09.75 (3.60m), while Jessica Genovese was BSU's top high jumper, with a second-place height of 5-05.00 (1.65m).
Lanae Stovall tossed BSU's best shot put, placing third with an effort of 39-06.00 (12.04m), while Tyra Schantz led BSU in the weight throw with a distance of 43-05.25 (13.24m).
The Ball State women's indoor track & field team returns to action next Friday, when it participates in the Meyo Invitational (Feb. 6-7) hosted by Notre Dame.
MEET PREVIEW
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's indoor track and field team will continue its season Saturday, when it travels to Marion, Ind. for the Indiana Wesleyan University Invitational which starts at noon.
The Cardinals have competed in two indoor meets so far this season and have been led by the strong individual returns of fifth-year senior Amber Williams (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran H.S.) and junior Ali Bishel (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.). Williams redshirted for the 2008 indoor and outdoor track and field seasons while Bishel redshirted during the cross country season last fall.
Bishel looks to be returning to top form, after posting a personal-best time of 9:34.16 to finish second, behind nine-time NAIA All-American and professional runner Erin Nehus, in the 3000m race at the Gladstein Invitational hosted by Indiana last weekend.
Bishel's time of 9:34.16 is also the second-fastest individual effort in program history, as Bishel beat her own mark of 9.40.59 set when she won the 3000m event at last season's Mid-American Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships. Bishel's mark in the 3000m and her time of 16:55.46 in the 5000m at the Bowling Green State University Challenge lead the MAC in those respective categories.
Williams, meanwhile, ranks in the top five in the MAC in three different events. In the 60m hurdles, the 2007 All-American's clocking of 8.45 at the BGSU Challenge ranks first in the conference. At the same meet, Williams sprinted to a 25.28 mark in the 200m dash, good enough for fifth in the MAC. Williams continued her success in the 60m dash at the Gladstein Invitational, posting a second-best-MAC-time of 7.64.
Also flirting with top-conference marks are junior Katie Johnson (Evansville, Ind./Harrison H.S.) and sophomore Lindsay Bangert (Milwaukee, Wis./Homestead H.S.). Johnson is second in the MAC in the 60m hurdles, right behind Williams, with her 8.72-mark set at the Gladstein Invitational. Bangert's leap of 18-11 3/4 in the same meet ranks second in the conference as well.
