Cross Country Earns Top 10 Finish at MAC Championship

KENT, Ohio - - Ball State cross country's five scored runners combined for an average time of 23:01 to lead the team to a 10th place finish at the 2016 Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championship hosted at the Kent State University Golf Club Saturday morning.

The effort marks the Cardinals' first top 10 finish at the league's premier event since the 2012 season. In addition, Ball State's average time of 23:01 is its best at the MAC Championship since the squad placed eighth in 2011 with an average time of 22:51.8.

Leading the way for Ball State at Saturday's MAC Championship was redshirt freshman Stephanie McElhaney (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North) who cross the finish line 41st among scored runners with a 6K time of 22:49.3. It was Ball State's best individual effort at the league meet since then-senior MaryKate Mellen placed 29th overall (22:29.0) in 2012.

Freshmen Emily Tromp (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing) and Lauren Whitehouse (Mahomet, Ill./Mahomet-Seymour) were not far behind, placing 44th (22:54.3) and 47th (22:57.4), respectively. Their efforts, along with McElhaney's, marks the first time Ball State has had its top three runners finish within the top 50 since 2012.

Rounding out Ball State's scored runners were redshirt junior Jordan Timmons (Bargersville, Ind./Center Grove) in 53rd (23:05.1) and junior Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) in 64th (23:17.6). Prior to today's race, the Cardinals five top runners had not all finished within the top 65 at the league meet since 2011.

Senior Ericka Rinehart (Angola, Ind./Angola) and freshman Brooke Talhelm (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) rounded out Ball State's seven countable student-athletes in the race, placing 73rd (23:41.4) and 77th (23:58.2), respectively.

Also running for the Cardinals were freshmen Maritza Rodriguez (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis), who finished in 24:24.1, and Peyton Kneadler (Monticello, Ind./Twin Lakes), who clocked in at 25:05.0.

Eastern Michigan won the 12-team race with a score of 27 points, aided by junior Jordann McDermitt who won the individual title by nearly 14 seconds with a time of 20:34.1.

Northern Illinois placed second with 78 points, followed by Bowling Green (116), Central Michigan (126), Toledo (127), Buffalo (141), Miami (145), Western Michigan (206), Ohio (247), Ball State (249), Akron (290) and host Kent State (305).

The Ball State cross country team returns to action Friday, Nov. 11, at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional which is slated to begin at 1 p.m. ET / Noon CT at the Thomas Zimmer Cross Country Course in Madison, Wis.

For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateTFXC and @CoachE_BSU.

Ball State's Times at MAC Championships

41st	Stephanie McElhaney	22:49.3
44th	Emily Tromp	22:54.3
47th	Lauren Whitehouse	22:57.4*
53rd	Jordan Timmons	23:05.1
64th	Jessica Bryzek	23:17.6
(73rd)	Ericka Rinehart	23:41.4
(77th)	Brooke Talhelm	23:58.2
DNP	Maritza Rodriguez	24:24.1
DNP	Peyton Kneadler	25:05.0
	* denotes career-best 6K time

- BallStateSports.com -

Cross Country Earns Top 10 Finish at MAC Championship

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jessica Bryzek

Peyton Kneadler

Stephanie McElhaney

Ericka Rinehart

Maritza Rodriguez

Brooke Talhelm

Jordan Timmons

Emily Tromp

Lauren Whitehouse