Saturday, October 28
OXFORD, OHIO (MIAMI UNIVERSITY CROSS COUNTRY COURSE)
12 p.m.
Ball State University
at
MAC Championships
Cross Country’s Top Five All Earn Personal Bests at MAC Championship
October 28, 2017 | Cross Country
OXFORD, Ohio - - Ball State cross country's five scored runners all turned in career fast 6K times to lead the program to an 11th-place finish at the 2017 Mid-American Conference Championships run Saturday afternoon at the Miami University Cross Country Course in Oxford, Ohio.
Maritza Rodriguez (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) continued her stellar sophomore campaign, leading the squad to the finish line for the third time this season with a career-fast effort of 22:19.1 to place 41st among the 103 runners to finish the race.
Rodriguez's 41st-place finish ties as Ball State's best individual effort at the league meet since then-senior MaryKate Mellen placed 29th overall (22:29.0) in 2012. In addition, her time of 22:19.1 is the fastest for a Cardinals runner since Mellen crossed the line in 22:16.3 at the 2011 meet.
Next on the day for the Cardinals was sophomore Hannah Cummings (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) who placed 44th among scored runners with a career-fast effort of 22:23.6.
Rounding out Ball State's five scored runners were freshman Cayla Eckenroth (Novi, Mich./Northville) in 60th at 22:49.5, sophomore Brooke Talhelm (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) in 61st at 22:50.6, and sophomore Peyton Kneadler (Monticello, Ind./Twin Lakes) in 70th at 23:10.2.
Also scoring for the Cardinals were senior Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) and redshirt sophomore Stephanie McElhaney (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North). Bryzek placed 71st among scored runners in her final MAC Cross Country Championship with a time of 23:13.8, while McElhaney placed 77th in 23:29.6.
Overall, the Cardinals finished 11th among the 12-team field with a combined score of 276 points. Eastern Michigan won their third consecutive MAC Cross Country Championship title with 45 points, while Western Michigan's Hanne Christensen won the race in 20:44.4.
Next up for the Ball State cross country program will be the 2017 NCAA Great Lakes Regional which will be ran Nov. 10 at the Lavern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateTFXC.
Ball State Individual Results at the 2017 MAC Cross Country Championships
- BallStateSports.com -
Maritza Rodriguez (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) continued her stellar sophomore campaign, leading the squad to the finish line for the third time this season with a career-fast effort of 22:19.1 to place 41st among the 103 runners to finish the race.
Rodriguez's 41st-place finish ties as Ball State's best individual effort at the league meet since then-senior MaryKate Mellen placed 29th overall (22:29.0) in 2012. In addition, her time of 22:19.1 is the fastest for a Cardinals runner since Mellen crossed the line in 22:16.3 at the 2011 meet.
Next on the day for the Cardinals was sophomore Hannah Cummings (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) who placed 44th among scored runners with a career-fast effort of 22:23.6.
Rounding out Ball State's five scored runners were freshman Cayla Eckenroth (Novi, Mich./Northville) in 60th at 22:49.5, sophomore Brooke Talhelm (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) in 61st at 22:50.6, and sophomore Peyton Kneadler (Monticello, Ind./Twin Lakes) in 70th at 23:10.2.
Also scoring for the Cardinals were senior Jessica Bryzek (Brownsburg, Ind./Indiana Academy) and redshirt sophomore Stephanie McElhaney (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North). Bryzek placed 71st among scored runners in her final MAC Cross Country Championship with a time of 23:13.8, while McElhaney placed 77th in 23:29.6.
Overall, the Cardinals finished 11th among the 12-team field with a combined score of 276 points. Eastern Michigan won their third consecutive MAC Cross Country Championship title with 45 points, while Western Michigan's Hanne Christensen won the race in 20:44.4.
Next up for the Ball State cross country program will be the 2017 NCAA Great Lakes Regional which will be ran Nov. 10 at the Lavern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State cross country, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateTFXC.
Ball State Individual Results at the 2017 MAC Cross Country Championships
| Overall/Scored | Runner | 6K Time |
| 41st/41st | Maritza Rodriguez | 22:19.1* |
| 44th/44th | Hannah Cummings | 22:23.6* |
| 67th/60th | Cayla Eckenroth | 22:49.5* |
| 68th/61st | Brooke Talhelm | 22:50.6* |
| 77th/70th | Peyton Kneadler | 23:10.2* |
| 78th/71st | Jessica Bryzek | 23:13.8 |
| 87th/77th | Stephanie McElhaney | 23:29.6 |
| 88th/DNS | Jordan Timmons | 23:36.0 |
| 90th/DNS | Emmalyne Tarsa | 23:40.3* |
- BallStateSports.com -
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