Track & Field Earns 2 Event Wins, 22 Top 10s at Ball State Challenge

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State track & field team capped a beautiful day at University Track in the Briner Sports Complex with nine career-best performances and 22 top 10 finishes on the second day of the Ball State Challenge.

"Regan and Peyton both looked great for us today," head coach Brian Etelman said. "Regan's effort of 1.76m in the high jump is typically an NCAA qualifier, which is huge for our program. Peyton looked great today in the 100m run, climbing all the way to second in the league with her time of 11.74."

The biggest career-best performance of the day came from sophomore sprinter Peyton Stewart who became the second Cardinals student-athlete to earn a Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championship automatic qualifying mark by winning the 100m dash in 11.74.

Stewart's time currently ranks second in the MAC and is .06 better than her previous career-best effort of 11.80 set at last season's Ball State Challenge.

Sophomore high jumper Regan Lewis also climbed up the MAC performance list in the high jump, clearing a career-best height of 1.76m to move into second in the conference. The mark is also the fourth-best individual effort in program history.

"We got a rare mid-season glimpse at what the MAC meet is going to look like in a few weeks, and I was pleased with how it turned out. I am really excited about the number of PRs we were able to accomplish, and our ability to compete with, and beat some, of the best competition in the MAC. All-in-all, it was a good day and puts us in a nice rhythm as we look to close out April."

Freshman distance runner Maritza Rodriguez also picked up an event win for the Cardinals on the day, taking top billing in the 5000m run with a time of 18:32.82 which was almost a full second faster than the second place finisher from IUPUI.

The Cardinals' also turned in a pair of podium finishes in the 800m run, which saw senior Danielle Dahl in second place with a time 2:14.32 and freshman Peyton Kneadler follow in third with a personal best time of 2:15.53.

Junior Anna-Kay West added a third place finish and career-best time of 14.43 in the 100m hurdles, while senior Kassidy Swenson took bronze in the logger hurdles event with a 400m hurdles time of 1:02.71.

Seniors Ericka Rinehart (11:49.24) and Jordan Timmons (12:02.79) also turned in solid performances in their final home meet, placing third (11:49.24) and fourth (12:02.79), respectively, in the 3000m steeplechase.

In the relays, Stewart, Bryeana Byrdsong, Amber Jones and Jazmin Smith combined for a third place clocking of 46.47 in 4x100m, while Olivia Ashba, Jones, Byrdsong and Dahl placed fourth in the 4x400m with a time of 3:58.93.

Next up for the Ball State track & field will be the Illinois Twilight meet, which will be held April 22 in Champaign, Ill.

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

Ball State Individual Results at Ball State Challenge

100m Dash
MAC Qualifying Standard: 11.86 | School Record: 11.08 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
1st - Peyton Stewart - 11.74*

200m Dash
MAC Qualifying Standard: 24.29 | School Record: 22.29 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
8th - Bryeana Byrdsong - 25.07*
14th - Amber Jones - 25.22
16th - Anna-Kay West - 25.32*
21st - Gabby Sims- 25.39*

400m Dash
MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.36 | School Record: 53.68 by Yvonne Ferguson in 2006
7th - Gabby Sims - 59.19

800m Run
MAC Qualifying Standard: 2:11.94 | School Record: 2:06.40 by Angie Stewart in 1997
2nd - Danielle Dahl - 2:14.32
3rd - Peyton Kneadler - 2:15.53*
16th - Hannah Cummings - 2:24.55

1500m Run
MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:30.18 | School Record: 4:25.67 by Katie Nowak in 2002
7th - Brooke Talhelm - 4:38.20
12th - Emily Tromp - 4:43.82
30th - Emma Maddelein - 5:16.02
35th - Meliza Rodriguez - 5:26.60
39th - Mary Momper - 5:44.28

5000m Run
MAC Qualifying Standard: 16:56.24 | School Record: 16:15.29 by Katie Nowak in 2003
1st - Maritza Rodriguez - 18:32.82
5th - Kitty Taylor - 18:47.57
6th - Stephanie McElhaney - 18:57.64
10th - Jessica Bryzek - 19:20.16

100m Hurdles
MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.10 | School Record: 13.18 by Amber Williams in 2007
3rd - Anna-Kay West - 14.43*

400m Hurdles
MAC Qualifying Standard: 1:01.89 | School Record: 57.82 by Linise Gordon in 2000
3rd - Kassidy Swenson - 1:02.71
7th - Olivia Ashba - 1:05.40

3000m Steeplechase
MAC Qualifying Standard: 10:56.96 | School Record: 10:34.05 by Katie Nowak in 2002
3rd - Ericka Rinehart - 11:49.24
4th - Jordan Timmons - 12:02.79
6th - Emma Manchess - 12:35.52

4x100m Relay
School Record: 45.42 by Jada Pehlps, Korinth Patterson, Tambra Stewart and Jennifer Dennie in 2001
3rd - Peyton Stewart, Bryeana Byrdsong, Amber Jones, Jazmin Smith - 46.47

4x400m Relay
School Record: 3:38.05 by Jada Phelps, Angka Morris, Patricia Soman and Linise Gordon in 2001
4th - Olivia Ashba, Amber Jones, Bryeana Byrdsong, Danielle Dahl - 3:58.93

High Jump
MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m / 5'-6.5" | School Record: 1.84m / 6-0.5 by Bonita Harrington in 1984
2nd - Regan Lewis - 1.76m (5-09.25)*
10th - Megan Graves - 1.51m (4-11.50)*

Shot Put
MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.74m / 48'-4.5" | School Record: 14.68m / 48-2 by Gena Rusch in 1991
5th - Kelsey Walters - 13.23m (43-05.00)

Discus
MAC Qualifying Standard: 47.40m / 155'-6" | School Record: 47.82m / 156-11 by Christy Richart in 1995
6th - Adrienne Mayfield - 42.50m (139-05)*

* Denotes Career-Best Performance

Track & Field Earns 2 Event Wins, 22 Top 10s at Ball State Challenge

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Players Mentioned

Olivia Ashba

Jessica Bryzek

Bryeana Byrdsong

Hannah Cummings

Danielle Dahl

Megan Graves

Amber Jones

Peyton Kneadler

Regan Lewis

Emma Maddelein

Emma Manchess

Adrienne Mayfield

Stephanie McElhaney

Mary Momper

Ericka Rinehart

Maritza Rodriguez

Meliza Rodriguez

Gabby Sims

Jazmin Smith

Peyton Stewart

Kassidy Swenson

Brooke Talhelm

Kitty Taylor

Jordan Timmons

Emily Tromp

Kelsey Walters

Anna-Kay West