Ball State University Athletics
Cross Country Opens Season Saturday At Butler Open
August 28, 2014 | Cross Country
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State cross country team opens its 2014 campaign at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, when it travels to Northview Church in Carmel, Ind., for the Butler Opener.
In addition to the Cardinals, the 5K race will feature IUPUI, Marion and the host Bulldogs who enter the weekend ranked 12th in the nation in the initial U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Division I poll.
Ball State returns all seven of its student-athletes who competed in the 2013 Mid-American Conference Championship, paced by senior Courtney Edon (New Palastine, Ind./New Palastine). Edon led the Cardinals to the finish line in six of the team's seven races last season.
Junior Danielle Dahl (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) also returns after scoring in all seven meets for the Cardinals a year ago, including leading Ball State at the Greater Louisville Classic (Oct. 5).
Other returning seven-event scorers for the Cardinals include senior Caitlynn Edon (New Palastine, Ind./New Palastine) and sophomore Ericka Rinehart (Angola, Ind./Angola), while both redshirt junior Madelyn Webster (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) and sophomore Jordan Timmons (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) scored in six meets for Ball State.
Rounding out Ball State's list of returning runners are fifth-year senior Ashley Schmidgall (Somerset, Ky./Centerville), redshirt sophomore Jordan Jenkins (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran) and redshirt sophomore Becca Kropf (Goshen, Ind./Fairfield).
New to the roster are track & field crossover redshirt freshman Natalia Boykin (Fort Wayne, Ind./Wayne), sophomore transfer Emma Manchess (Pendleton, Ind./Pendleton Heights/IPFW) and freshmen Rachel Billingsley (Batesville, Ind./Oldenburg Academy), Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) and Sarah Hoppes (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central).
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateXC on Twitter.
