Ball State University Athletics
Next Up For Track & Field, the Grand Valley State Big Meet
February 12, 2016 | Track & Field
MUNCIE, Ind. - - With just two meets remaining until the 2016 Mid-American Conference Championships, the Ball State indoor track & field team will look for high marks and fast times this weekend, as it travels to Allendale, Mich., for the Grand Valley State University Big Meet which runs Friday and Saturday at the Kelly Family Sports Center.
On the opening day of the meet, the Cardinals will compete in just two events, starting with the 5,000m run (11:50 a.m.) and concluding with the mile run (4:05 p.m.). Ball State will pick up the action Saturday, as its student-athletes are schedule to compete in 12 events starting with the jumps and throws at 9 a.m.
Overall, 64 teams across all levels of competition will be competing in the two-day Grand Valley State University Big Meet.
Last time out, at the Meyo Invitational hosted by Notre Dame Feb. 5-6, the Cardinals received solid performances from freshman Regan Lewis (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield-Central), senior Danielle Dahl (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) and sophomore Gabby Sims (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North).
Lewis was one of only 14 competitors to clear the bar at an opening height of 1.67m (5'-5.75"), accomplishing the feat on her second jump which earned her eighth place among the field of 31 jumpers. The effort was just shy of her career-best mark of 1.68m (5'-6") set back in December.
Dahl turned in the second-best indoor 800m run of her career, finishing the race in 2:14.61 which currently stands as the 12th-best time in the Mid-American Conference this season. Dahl would have another strong showing in the 4x400m relay, helping the relay finish with a time of 3:48.89 which is the fastest for a Ball State indoor 4x400m relay since an effort of 3:42.81 at the Iowa State Classic Feb. 11, 2006.
Sims ran anchor for the 4x400m relay, earning Ball State's fastest split at 55.9.
After this weekend's Grand Valley State Big Meet, the Cardinals host the Ball State Tune-Up on Friday, Feb. 19, and then head to the MAC Indoor Championships Feb. 26-27 in Akron, Ohio.
NEWS & NOTES:
- Senior thrower Marie Lumpkin enters the week ranked fifth in the Mid-American Conference with a career-best and school-record weight throw of 18.55m (60'-10.5”) at the Mastodon Opener (Dec. 5) … She was the first Ball State student-athlete to earn a Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship automatic qualifying mark this season and her effort currently ranks 65th on the NCAA Division I performance list.
- Freshman sprinter Peyton Stewart became the second Ball State student-athlete to earn a MAC Indoor Championship automatic qualifying mark when she crossed the finish line of the 60m dash in 7.61 at the Bowling Green Opener (Jan. 9) … Stewart's time is the fastest for a Ball State sprinter since Amber Williams won the 60m dash at the 2009 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships with a time of 7.44 … Her effort currently ranks seventh on the MAC's indoor performance list.
- Ball State's 4x400m relay of freshman Amber McGee (Fort Wayne, Ind./Northrop), junior Olivia Ashba (Ellettsville, Ind./Edgewood), senior Danielle Dahl (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea) and sophomore Gabby Sims (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) enter the weekend with the sixth-best time in the Mid-American Conference this season at 3:48.89 set at the Meyo Invitational (Feb. 6) … McGee led off the relay in 57.2, followed by Ashba (57.1), Dahl (58.3) and Sims (55.9) … Their time of 3:48.89 is the fastest for a Ball State indoor 4x400m relay since an effort of 3:42.81 at the Iowa State Classic Feb. 11, 2006.
- Through the first five meets of the 2015-16 indoor season, Ball State's student-athletes have collected nine individual victories, one relay win and 34 career-best performances.
Fans can get the most up-to-date news on Ball State track & field by following the team on Twitter: @BallStateSports, @BallStateTFXC and @CoachE_BSU.
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