Saturday, October 29
Kent, Ohio (Kent State University Golf Club)
TBA
Ball State University
at
Mid-American Conference Championships
Photo by: Brad Caudill - Ball State Athletics
Cross Country Sets Sights on Saturday’s MAC Championships
October 27, 2016 | Cross Country
MAC Championship Homepage | Course Map | Live Results
MUNCIE, Ind. - - At 11 a.m. Saturday, a determined Ball State cross country team will take the starting line at the Kent State University Golf Club with one thing on its mind; turning in a top 10 finish at the 2016 Mid-American Conference Championships.
Over the past eight seasons, the Cardinals have only placed in the top 10 at the league's premier event one time; an eight-place finish in 2011. This season, Ball State will turn to an entry list comprised of six talented first-year runners and three experience upperclassmen in an effort to climb back towards the top of the league standings.
"We have a good mix of youth and experience on our team," second-year distance coach Raynee DeGrio said. "Our student-athletes are consistently rising to the challenge. They know we have high expectations for them and they are excited for the opportunity to meet or even exceed those expectations."
The team's ability to exceed expectations could be seen throughout the 2016 campaign and was most recently on display at the Bradley "Pink" Classic (Oct. 14). At the final regular season meet, all eight Ball State runners crossed the finish line with career-best 6K times.
Freshman Emily Tromp (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) led the way by turning in the fastest 6K performance for a Ball State runner since the 2012 Great Lakes Regional, clocking in at 22:22.7. Tromp, who has been Ball State's top runner in each of the last three meets, also turned in the fastest 5K for the Cardinals since Oct. 3, 2014 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational (Sept. 30) with a time of 18:17.0.
"We felt like our team missed an opportunity in terms of how high we could have placed at last year's MAC Championship," DeGrio said. "This year, our team is excited and ready for the challenge. Our upperclassmen want to go out and do better than they ever have. They want to help catapult the program forward and help set the expectations for future Cardinals. Our underclassmen are a really competitive group and are ready to rise to the occasion."
Speaking of Ball State's veteran runners, all three of the Cardinals' upperclassman entered in the 2016 MAC Championships are coming off career races. Senior Ericka Rinehart (Angola, Ind./Angola) redshirt junior Jordan Timmons (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) and junior Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) all clocked career-best 5K times at the Joe Piane Invite and career-best 6K efforts at the Bradley "Pink" Classic.
With their guidance and the help of a talented crop of underclassmen, the Ball State cross country team expects to climb up the league rankings Saturday and move back towards the heyday of the program. From 2000 to 2007, the Cardinals never placed outside the top five at the MAC Championships, earning four runner-up finishes and the program's only championship title in 2003.
"Overall, we are excited for the opportunity to compete," DeGrio added. "Anytime you run in an event where there is a championship trophy on the line you are going to be excited. Even though it feels like it's been a long time since we raced, we are at a good spot with our fitness and our team is ready to go."
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateTFXC and @CoachE_BSU.
Ball State Top Times Entering MAC Championships
- BallStateSports.com -
MUNCIE, Ind. - - At 11 a.m. Saturday, a determined Ball State cross country team will take the starting line at the Kent State University Golf Club with one thing on its mind; turning in a top 10 finish at the 2016 Mid-American Conference Championships.
Over the past eight seasons, the Cardinals have only placed in the top 10 at the league's premier event one time; an eight-place finish in 2011. This season, Ball State will turn to an entry list comprised of six talented first-year runners and three experience upperclassmen in an effort to climb back towards the top of the league standings.
"We have a good mix of youth and experience on our team," second-year distance coach Raynee DeGrio said. "Our student-athletes are consistently rising to the challenge. They know we have high expectations for them and they are excited for the opportunity to meet or even exceed those expectations."
The team's ability to exceed expectations could be seen throughout the 2016 campaign and was most recently on display at the Bradley "Pink" Classic (Oct. 14). At the final regular season meet, all eight Ball State runners crossed the finish line with career-best 6K times.
Freshman Emily Tromp (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) led the way by turning in the fastest 6K performance for a Ball State runner since the 2012 Great Lakes Regional, clocking in at 22:22.7. Tromp, who has been Ball State's top runner in each of the last three meets, also turned in the fastest 5K for the Cardinals since Oct. 3, 2014 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational (Sept. 30) with a time of 18:17.0.
"We felt like our team missed an opportunity in terms of how high we could have placed at last year's MAC Championship," DeGrio said. "This year, our team is excited and ready for the challenge. Our upperclassmen want to go out and do better than they ever have. They want to help catapult the program forward and help set the expectations for future Cardinals. Our underclassmen are a really competitive group and are ready to rise to the occasion."
Speaking of Ball State's veteran runners, all three of the Cardinals' upperclassman entered in the 2016 MAC Championships are coming off career races. Senior Ericka Rinehart (Angola, Ind./Angola) redshirt junior Jordan Timmons (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) and junior Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) all clocked career-best 5K times at the Joe Piane Invite and career-best 6K efforts at the Bradley "Pink" Classic.
With their guidance and the help of a talented crop of underclassmen, the Ball State cross country team expects to climb up the league rankings Saturday and move back towards the heyday of the program. From 2000 to 2007, the Cardinals never placed outside the top five at the MAC Championships, earning four runner-up finishes and the program's only championship title in 2003.
"Overall, we are excited for the opportunity to compete," DeGrio added. "Anytime you run in an event where there is a championship trophy on the line you are going to be excited. Even though it feels like it's been a long time since we raced, we are at a good spot with our fitness and our team is ready to go."
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateTFXC and @CoachE_BSU.
Ball State Top Times Entering MAC Championships
| Runner | Top 5K Time | Top 6K Time |
| Emily Tromp – Fr. | 18:17.0 (9/30/16) | 22:22.7 (10/14/16) |
| Jessica Bryzek – Jr. | 18:24.8 (9/30/16) | 23:00.4 (10/14/16) |
| Stephanie McElhaney – RFr. | 18:30.4 (9/30/16) | 22:27.7 (10/14/16) |
| Brooke Talhelm – Fr. | 18:30.9 (9/30/16) | 23:31.9 (10/14/16) |
| Jordan Timmons – R-Jr. | 18:31.5 (9/30/16) | 22:46.8 (10/14/16) |
| Lauren Whitehouse – Fr. | 18:39.6 (9/23/16) | N/A |
| Maritza Rodriguez – Fr. | 18:44.1 (9/23/16) | 23:!5.8 (10/14/16) |
| Hannah Cummings – Fr. | 18:49.2 (9/30/16) | N/A |
| Danielle Dahl – Sr. | 18:56.20 (10/3/14) | 23:57 (11/15/13) |
| Ericka Rinehart – Sr. | 19:09.6 (9/30/16) | 22:40.3 (10/14/16) |
| Kitty Taylor – Jr. | 19:13.6 (9/23/16) | 23:23.1 (10/31/15) |
| Peyton Kneadler – Fr. | 19:28.9 (9/23/16) | 23:51.6 (10/14/16) |
| Emma Manchess – Sr. | 19:36.83 (9/13/14) | 23:49 (11/1/14) |
| Meliza Rodriguez – Fr. | 19:41.6 (9/23/16) | N/A |
| Emma Maddelein – Fr. | 20:29.6 (9/23/16) | N/A |
| Mary Momper – So. | N/A | N/A |
- BallStateSports.com -
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