Track & Field Turns in Strong Effort at Doug Raymond Qualifier

KENT, Ohio - - The Ball State indoor track & field team tallied 10 top 10 finishes and logged eight career-bests in a successful Saturday run at the Doug Raymond National Qualifier hosted by Kent State.

"It was another great weekend for our team," head coach Brian Etelman said. "We've hit a nice, consistent level of performance that has set us up perfectly to close out the next couple weeks with a strong showing at the MAC Championships."

One of the Cardinals' best performances at the Kent State Field House came in the program's best event, the 60m dash. Senior Peyton Stewart lead the way, placing second overall by tying her season-best time at 7.50. Junior Bryeana Byrdsong was not far behind, finishing in fourth with a time of 7.54.

Byrdsong also led a strong effort in the 200m, placing second at 24.55, while Jazmin Smith took third in the 60m hurdles at 8.45. Both of those events had one thing in common, a fifth-place effort from junior Jasmine Harris. Harris clocked a MAC Indoor Championship automatic qualifying mark of 8.54 in the 60m hurdles and a career-fast 24.77 in the 200m dash.

"It was awesome to see Jasmine Harris rediscover the types of performances that made her one of the best freshmen in the MAC two years ago," Etelman said. "Running right off her hurdle PR, and setting a new 200 PR, really adds some depth and excitement to a sprint/hurdle crew that is really getting after it right now."

Rounding out Ball State's top efforts on Saturday were a third-place finish and career-best time of 56.58 by junior Amber Jones in the 400m, a sixth-place clearance of 1.63m by sophomore Hailley Peters in the high jump and an eighth-place and career-fast mile of 5:03.04 for junior Maritza Rodriguez.

"Maritza showed some of her mile foot speed with a huge PR and set herself up nicely to put together great races at the MAC meet in the longer distances," Etelman said. "Jazmin, Bryeana and Peyton continue to be rock solid for us and are continuing to move forward."

Next up for the Ball State track & field program, the lone home meet of the 2019 indoor season, the Ball State Tune-Up. Action is set to begin at 5 p.m. in the Ball State Field Sports Building.

"Now, we go back to work next week and start prepping to put a big stamp on what has been a great indoor season for us thus far," Etelman concluded.

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

Ball State Individual Results at the Doug Raymond National Qualifier

60m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 7.60 / Program Record 7.33 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1998
2nd - Peyton Stewart – 7.50
4th - Bryeana Byrdsong – 7.54
11th - Jazmin Smith – 7.66
13th - Michelle Lehmann – 7.72*
18th - Ivy McKee – 7.82*

60m Hurdles / MAC Qualifying Standard: 8.64 / Program Record: 8.19 by Amber Williams in 2007
3rd - Jazmin Smith – 8.45
5th - Jasmine Harris – 8.54
13th - Anasja Troutman – 8.95
26th - Karlie Zumbro – 9.37

200m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 24.48 / Program Record: 23.25 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
2nd - Bryeana Byrdsong – 24.55
5th - Jasmine Harris – 24.77*
17th - Ivy McKee – 25.26*

400m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.51 / Program Record: 55.11 by Linise Gordon 2000
3rd - Amber Jones – 56.58*
13th - MaQuila Norman – 57.93

800m Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:51.38 / Program Record: 9:31.43 by Jill Scully in 2006
22nd - Karlie Zumbro – 2:22.32
29th - Meghan Hedrick – 2:27.28

Mile Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:51.38 / Program Record: 4:50.10 by MaryKate Mellen in 2013
8th - Maritza Rodriguez – 5:03.04*
22nd - Emmalyne Tarsa – 5:17.50
25th - Meliza Rodriguez – 5:19.25*

4x400m Relay / Program Record: 3:39.94 (c) by Jada Phelps, Angka Morris, Patricia Soman and Linise Gordon in 2001
6th – Ball State A – 3:53.68

High Jump / MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m / 5-6.5 / Program Record: 1.81 / 5-11.25 by Regan Lewis 2017
6th - Hailley Peters – 1.63m
20th - Karlie Zumbro – 1.53m*

Long Jump / MAC Qualifying Standard: 5.82m / 19-1.25 / Program Record: 6.43m / 21-1.5 by Patricia Soman in 2003
35th - Michelle Lehmann – 4.84m

Weight Throw / MAC Qualifying Standard: 18.25m / 59-10.5 / Program Record: 18.55m / 60-10 by Marie Lumpkin 2015
22nd - Megan Graves – 14.98m

Shot Put / MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.93m / 48-11.75 / Program Record: 14.77m / 48-5/75 by Gena Rusch in 1990
11th - Kelsey Walters – 13.22m
FOUL - Jada Caldwell

Track & Field Turns in Strong Effort at Doug Raymond Qualifier

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Megan Graves

Jasmine Harris

Meghan Hedrick

Amber Jones

Michelle Lehmann

Regan Lewis

Ivy McKee

MaQuila Norman

Hailley Peters

Maritza Rodriguez

Jazmin Smith

Peyton Stewart

Emmalyne Tarsa

Anasja Troutman

Kelsey Walters

Karlie Zumbro