Ball State University Athletics
Track & Field Heads To Buffalo For MAC Championships
May 11, 2010 | Track & Field
Link To The Official MAC Championship Website
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's outdoor track & field team will look to build upon some strong performance over the last few meets, when it travels to Buffalo, N.Y., for the 2010 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week.
Action in the three-day meet begins Thursday at 10 a.m. with the women's hammer throw. CLICK HERE for a complete schedule of events for the 2010 MAC Outdoor Championships.
The Cardinals look poised to score some big points at the 400m distance, with three student-athletes ranked in the top seven in the MAC when completing one circuit of the track. Senior Jenna Schmitmeyer (Celina, Ohio/Celina H.S.) is the top-ranked Ball State student-athlete entering the championships, holding the No. 3 spot in the 400m hurdles with a career-fast time of 1:01.14 coming at the Pacesetter Invitational (May 1). Schmitmeyer place seventh in the event at last season's league meet.
Ball State's student-athletes also posted solid times in the 400m dash at the Pacesetter Invite, with sophomore transfer Renyae Owsley (Indianapolis, Ind./Northwest H.S.) and freshman Judah Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain H.S.) earning BSU career-fast clockings of 55.65 and 56.25, respectively. Owsley's time ranks sixth in the MAC, while Smith's ranks seventh.
Redshirt sophomore Thekla Lorenz (Hamburg, Germany) is the only BSU student-athlete ranked in the top 20 in more than one event, holding the No. 7 slot in the javelin (126-4/38.51m) and the No. 9 slot in the long jump (19-1.5/5.83m). At last season's MAC Outdoor Championships, Lorenz placed sixth in the long jump (18-10.75/5.76m) and seventh in the heptathlon (4,664).
The Cardinals also look strong in the 100m hurdles, with two athletes ranked in the top 10 in the league. Junior Ra'Jae Marable (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer H.S.) enters the week with a career-best effort of 14.18 which ranks fifth in the MAC, while senior Katie Johnson (Evansville, Ind./Harrison H.S.) posted a season-best time of 14.30 two weeks ago. Johnson earned All-MAC Second Team accolades last season after placing second in the 100m hurdles (13.68) at MAC's, while picking up All-MAC First Team honors after winning the event in a time of 13.68 at the 2008 championship meet.
In the distance events, senior Ali Bishel (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) enters the week ranked eighth in the 5,000m run with a time of 17:27.32. Bishel, who is battling injuries which forced her to miss the entire indoor campaign, was an All-MAC Second Team selection last season after placing second in the 10,000m run (35:59.11) and fourth in the 5,000m run (17:21.55) at the MAC Championship.
Rounding out BSU's ranked student-athletes are seniors Sarah Kehe (Westville, Ind./Chesterton H.S.) and Tyra Schantz (Bloomfield, Ind./White River Valley H.S.). Kehe enters the week ranked 17th in the 3000m steeplechase (11:36.91), while Schantz is 16th in the hammer throw with a career-best toss of 157-05. Both efforts came four weeks ago at the Clark Wood/Lenny Lyles Invitational (April 16).
Last season, the Cardinals placed sixth at the MAC Championships with 62.5 points. Eight different athletes scored points for Ball State at the meet, led by then-senior Amber Williams who won both the 100m dash and the 100m hurdles, while joining the third-place 4x100m relay team.
Ball State Student-Athletes In The MAC Rankings
400m Dash
6th - Renyae Owsley (55.65)
7th - Judah Smith (56.26)
5,000m Run
8th - Ali Bishel (17:27.32)
3000m Steeplechase
17th - Sarah Kehe (11:36.91)
100m Hurdles
5th - Ra'Jae Marable (14.18)
10th - Katie Johnson (14.30)
400m Hurdles
3rd - Jenna Schmitmeyer (1:01.14)
4x100 Relay
12th - Team (48.55)
4x400 Relay
8th - Team (3:50.40)
Long Jump
9th - Thekla Lorenz (19-1.50/5.83m)
Hammer Throw
16th - Tyra Schantz (157-05/47.98m)
Javelin
7th - Thekla Lorenz (126-4/38.51m)
Players Mentioned
