Track & Field Splits for Pair of Weekend Meets

Vanderbilt Invite Links: Live Results | Schedule of Events (PDF) | Heat Sheets (PDF)
IWU Invitational Links: Live Results | Schedule of Events (PDF)

MUNCIE, Ind. - - It will be a split weekend for the Ball State indoor track & field program, as the throwers compete at the Indiana Wesleyan University Invitational and the remainder of the squad takes part in the Vanderbilt Invitational.

The IWU Invitational will be held Friday at Troyer Fieldhouse in Marion, Indiana, with action scheduled to get underway at 4 p.m. The meet was originally slated for Saturday, but the weekend's weather forecast forced the event to be pushed up a day.

Teams scheduled to compete alongside the Cardinals and host Wildcats include Bethel, St. Francis and Grace.

The two-day Vanderbilt Invitational will run Friday and Saturday at the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility in Nashville, Tennessee. Action on the opening day begins at 5 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. CT for the Cardinals, while Ball State's first event on Saturday will start at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT.

In addition to the Cardinals and host Commodores, a total of 22 programs are slated to send student-athletes to the competition including three teams ranked in the top 25 of the NCAA Division I Women's Indoor Track & Field National Rating Index, released by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA); No. 10 Kentucky, No. 13 Alabama and No. 22 Georgia Tech.

This Weekend's Ball State Schedule:
Friday, Jan. 18 @ IWU Invitational
Shot Put (4:45 pm): Kelsey Walters, Jada Caldwell, Stella East
Weight Throw (5:45 pm): Princess Carter, Kelsey Walters, Megan Graves, Jada Caldwell, Stella East

Friday, Jan. 18 @ Vanderbilt Invitational
High Jump (4 pm CT): Hailley Peters
Long Jump (5 pm CT): Michelle Lehmann, Karlie Zumbro
200m (7 pm CT): Amber Jones, Dejah Johnson, Jasmine Harris, MaQuila Norman, Peyton Stewart, Jazmin Smith
5000m (8:30 pm CT): Maritza Rodriguez, Meliza Rodriguez

Saturday, Jan. 19 @ Vanderbilt
Mile Run (10:55 am CT): Peyton Kneadler, Emmalyne Tarsa
800m (11:30 am CT): Karlie Zumbro
400m (11:40 am CT): MaQuila Norman
60m Hurdles (Prelims - 1 pm CT / Finals – 2:55 pm CT): Jazmin Smith, Jasmine Harris, Karlie Zumbro
60m (Prelims - 1:40 pm CT / Finals – 3:10 pm CT): Peyton Stewart, Michelle Lehmann, Jasmine Harris
400m (3:25 pm CT): Amber Jones, Dejah Johnson
800m (3:55 pm CT): Karleigh Conner
4x400 Relay (4:55 pm CT): Squad A – Amber Jones, Dejah Johnson, Jazmin Smith, MaQuila Norman

Three Things to Know Entering The Weekend:
No. 1: Ball State student-athletes lead the Mid-American Conference in the 60m hurdles (Jazmin Smith) and high jump (Regan Lewis), while holding down the No. 2 spot in the 60m (Peyton Stewart), the No. 4 slot in the 800m (Karleigh Conner) and the No. 5 spot in the 200m (Jazmin Smith).

In addition, the Cardinals have four student-athletes ranked in the Top 50 of the NCAA Rankings; high jump (Regan Lewis, 23rd), 60m hurdles (Jazmin Smith, 42nd) and 400m (Amber Jones, 46th).

Heading into the weekend, @BallStateTFXC leads @MACSports in
60m Hurdles: Jazmin Smith
HJ: Regan Lewis

... and we have 3? athletes in top 50 in @NCAATrackField rankings
HJ: Lewis (23rd)
60m Hurdles: Smith (42nd)
400m: Amber Jones (46th)#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #MACtion | #ncaatf
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 16, 2019

No. 2: After recording a MAC-leading time of 8.50 in the 60m hurdles last weekend, senior Jazmin Smith is looking to improve the mark this weekend at the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility and history is on her side.

Smith turned in the second-fastest time of her career on the same track last season, placing fourth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.41 at the Music City Challenge (Feb. 10, 2018).

Smith, who earlier this week said she thrives on tough competition, will face some more challenging opponents this weekend including Georgia Tech's Jeanie Williams who is currently third in the nation at 8.16.

"I actually love that kind of competition ... that helped me push harder." - Jazmin Smith on last weekend's 60m hurdle race which featured a pair of @MACSports champions (including Smith in 2017) & 4? runners now ranked in the Top 42 nationally.#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/OFKoqirg7N
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 15, 2019

No. 3: Ball State's distance runners have shined in the early portion of the indoor season and will look for more fast marks this weekend.

So far …
- The distance medley relay (Emmalyne Tarsa, Karleigh Conner, Bryeana Byrdsong and Peyton Kneadler) leads the MAC with a time of 12:16.75
- Freshman Karleigh Conner has the fourth-fastest time in the MAC in the 800m at 2:16.88
- Junior Maritza Rodriguez ranks 12th in the MAC in the 3,000m at 10:09.29, while junior Meliza Rodriguez (10:26.65) and sophomore Emmalyne Tarsa (10:33.89) have both turned in career-best times and are just outside the top 20 in the league.

?? NOTE ALERT ??

Our DMR time of 12:16.75 is:
1?. Our 3rd-fastest in the past 7? seasons (2012-13 to pres.)
2?. As of this tweet, the top time in the MAC this season
3?. Would have placed in Top 10 at 2018 MAC Championships

Back at it again tomorrow#ChirpChirp | #WeFly
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 12, 2019

Quotables:
Brian Etelman on last weekend and looking ahead to this weekend:
"Jazmin Smith was pretty impressive. For her to be leading the MAC and running 8.50 her first meet out in January, that's the quickest she run in this month … If you look at our relays and long sprints, we are looking to take a pretty big step forward in that area too."

Head coach Brian Etelman breaks down some of the highlights from last weekend and gives us an idea of what to expect heading into this weekend's meets at Indiana Wesleyan University and Vanderbilt#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/qMd8ze0SP4
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 17, 2019

Karleigh Conner on her performance last weekend in the 800m:
"… I really surprised myself, because that's the fastest I have ever opened a season running the 800m."

" ... I really surprised myself, because that's the fastest I have ever opened a season running the 800." - @karleighconner_ on her performance at last weekend's Jim Green Invitational.#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/hnVgM1I9Wm
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 15, 2019

Jazmin Smith on her goals for the weekend:
"My goals are to remain confident like I did this past week, stay healthy and ………… sleep."

"My goals are to remain confident like I did this past week, stay healthy and ............. sleep," - Jazmin Smith talks about her goals for the Vanderbilt Invitational.#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/55CTvzYC6f
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 17, 2019

Last Time In Nashville – Music City Challenge (Feb. 9-10, 2018):
Day One Recap (Feb. 9, 2018)
Junior Regan Lewis cleared a season-best 1.76m (5-9.25) to place second in the high jump and lead the Ball State track & field team on the opening day of the Music City Challenge at Vanderbilt's Multipurpose Facility.

Day Two Recap (Feb. 10, 2018)
The Ball State indoor track & field team turn in another strong performance Saturday at the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility, scoring three top 10 finishes and a pair of career-best performances to close competition in the Music City Challenge.

Last Time Out - Ball State Award Winners Jim Green Invitational

?? @BallStateTFXC Track Athlete of the Week ??

Not only did Jazmin Smith post a #MACtion automatic qualifying mark in the 60m hurdles Saturday, she also rank the fastest time in the league so far this season at 8.50

Now that's FAST!!!#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/Qrqz6v2oxk
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 14, 2019

?? @BallStateTFXC Field Athlete of the Week ??

Kelsey Walters 1?st attempt in the shot put at last weekend's Jim Green Invite ... 13.30m

It's currently the 10th-best mark in #MACtion this season.#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/WRwRn6zgR4
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 14, 2019

?? @BallStateTFXC Cardinal of the Week ??

In her 1?st 800m run as a Cardinal, Karleigh Conner clocked in at 2:16.88 ... It's the 4?th-best #MACtion time in the event this season.

... and she also ran the 2?nd leg for our MAC-leading DMR ??#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/6bjFdAHQPi
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) January 14, 2019

Players Mentioned

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Princess Carter

Karleigh Conner

Stella East

Megan Graves

Jasmine Harris

Dejah Johnson

Amber Jones

Peyton Kneadler

Michelle Lehmann

Regan Lewis

MaQuila Norman

Hailley Peters

Maritza Rodriguez

Jazmin Smith

Peyton Stewart

Emmalyne Tarsa

Kelsey Walters

Karlie Zumbro

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