Track & Field Scores Three Top 10s on Final Day of Kentucky Invitational

Friday, January 13

Lexington, Ky.

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Ball State University

Kentucky Invitational

Photo by: Brad Caudill - Ball State Athletics

Track & Field Scores Three Top 10s on Final Day of Kentucky Invitational

January 14, 2017 | Track & Field

Kentucky Invitational Full Results (PDF)

LEXINGTON, Ky. - - Freshman distance runner Brooke Talhelm (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) continued where she left off Friday, leading the Ball State indoor track & field team with a second-place finish in the 800m run Saturday afternoon on the final day of the Kentucky Invitational.

"Our middle distance runners stole the show today," second-year head coach Brian Etelman said. "Brooke Talhelm's mile leg in the DMR Friday gave everyone the confidence to run out front in the both the 800 and mile today."

Talhelm, who anchored Friday's distance medley relay which turned in the Cardinals' best time in the event since 2012, turned it up a notch Saturday by winning her heat of the 800m run with a career-fast time of 2:15.46. The effort, which placed second in the meet, currently ranks as the top 800m performance in the Mid-American Conference this season.

Talhelm was not the only first-year runner to shine for Ball State in the 800m run, as classmate Peyton Kneadler (Monticello, Ind./Twin Lakes) won her heat and clocked in at a career-fast 2:18.42 to place 15th.

Led by the strong showing in the 800m run, the Cardinals concluded its second day at Kentucky's Nutter Field House with 14 career-best performances, three top 10 performances and 12 top 20 finishes.

"Overall, I was very happy with how we stepped up to the level of competition today," Etelman continued. "We had athletes make finals and multiple people finishing in the top 10, which shows we are able to step up and perform when it matters."

Sophomore Regan Lewis (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield-Central) continued to shine in the high jump, placing third overall by clearing the bar at a career-best height of 1.76m (5-9.25). The mark ties as the third-best individual effort in program history and topped five other competitors from the MAC in the meet.

Freshman Jasmine Harris (Moreland Hills, Ohio/Orange) added another strong showing in the 60m hurdles, placing 11th overall in 8.72. The effort was the best among the 10 MAC student-athletes in the race.

"Regan and Jasmine did a great job in going head-to-head against competitors they will see at the MAC meet in a few weeks' time," Etelman added. "Overall it was a great effort today and we will continue to round into top form as the conference meet approaches."

Rounding out Ball State's top 10 performers Saturday was sophomore sprinter Peyton Stewart (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North) who qualified for the finals of the 60m dash and placed eighth overall in 7.69.

The Cardinals also boasted a pair of heat winners in the 200m dash, as freshmen Bryeana Byrdsong (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) and Amber Jones (Matteson, Ill./Rich South) clocked in at 25.21 (12th) and 25.38 (15th), respectively. Harris finished just behind Byrdsong in the ninth heat, placing 13th overall in 25.30. Stewart also ran in the event, taking 18th in 25.48. All four efforts were career bests.

The Ball State indoor track & field team will look to continue building momentum next weekend, when it travels to Bloomington for the two-day Gladstein Invitational which gets underway Friday (Jan. 20).

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

BALL STATE RESULTS ON DAY 2 OF KENTUCKY INVITATIONAL
60m Dash:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 7.62 • School Record: 7.33 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1998
8th - Peyton Stewart – 7.69 finals / 7.68 prelim – Heat Winner
20th - Bryeana Byrdsong – 7.80
30th - Amber Jones – 7.97*
39th - Anna-Kay West – 8.12

60m Hurdles:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 8.73 • School Record: 8.19 by Amber Williams in 2007
11th - Jasmine Harris – 8.72
34th - Kassidy Swenson – 9.21
48th - Anna-Kay West - 9.51

200m Dash:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 24.52 • School Record: 23.25 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
12th - Bryeana Byrdsong – 25.21* - Heat Winner
13th - Jasmine Harris – 25.30*
15th - Amber Jones – 25.38* - Heat Winner
18th - Peyton Stewart – 25.48*

400m Dash:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.70 • School Record: 55.11 by Linise Gordon in 2000
24th - Olivia Ashba – 59.02
41st - Kassidy Swenson – 1:01.35

800m Run:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 2:12.02 • School Record: 2:07.30 by Natasha Lothery in 2002
2nd – Brooke Talhelm – 2:15.46* - Heat Winner
15th - Peyton Kneadler – 2:18.42* - Heat Winner

Mile Run:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:53.21 • School Record: 4:50.10 by MaryKate Mellen in 2013
16th - Emily Tromp – 5:10.60*
17th - Jordan Timmons – 5:12.22*

3000m Run:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 9:47.13 • School Record: 9:31.43 by Jill Scully in 2006
23rd - Maritza Rodriguez – 10:30.12*
29th - Jessica Bryzek – 10:37.49*
42nd - Stephanie McElhaney – 10:47.01
43rd - Ericka Rinehart – 10:49.41*
48th – Lauren Whitehouse – 11:03.15*

High Jump:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m / 5-6.5 • School Record: 1.77m / 5-9.75 by Ashley Gillies in 2002 & Susan Setlack in 2000
3rd - Regan Lewis – 1.76m / 5-9.25*

Shot Put:
   MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.82m / 48-7.5 • School Record: 14.77m / 48-5.75 by Gena Rusch in 1990
26th - Kelsey Walters – 12.37m / 40-7

* Denotes Career Best Mark

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