T&F Wins 5 Events Saturday at Ball State Challenge

MUNCIE, Ind. – On a near picture perfect day at University Track in the Briner Sports Complex, the sun was shining and so was the Ball State track & field team Saturday afternoon on the second and final day of the Ball State Challenge.

As a team, the Cardinals tallied five event victories, 14 top five finishes and captured 20 personal-best performances in front of a healthy home crowd in its first of two home meets on the year.

The next time Ball State competes at University Track will be the biggest meet of the year; the 2019 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships from May 9-11.

The Cardinals' most impressive performance came in the first running even of the day, as BSU's 4x100m relay not only placed first, but recorded the fifth-fastest time in program history at 45.52. Sophomore Ivy McKee opened the race, and was followed by junior Bryeana Byrdsong, senior Jazmin Smith and junior Jasmine Harris.

Ball State also captured the top spot in the final race of the day, the 4x400m relay, with sophomore Wambui Watene, sophomore Dejah Johnson, freshman Karlie Zumbro and sophomore MaQuila Norman combining for a winning time of 3:47.44

Sophomore thrower Abby Denham opened the day strong for the Cardinals, picking up the first individual victory of the day with a mark of 36.34m in the javelin.

Redshirt freshman Michelle Lehmann followed with her first of two career-best performances, winning the long jump with a mark of 5.51m. She followed later in the day by leading the Cardinals in the 100m with a career-fast effort of 11.97.

Ball State's final event win came late in the day, when senior Regan Lewis cleared 1.65m to win the high jump. Lewis was one of three BSU seniors honored prior to the start of Saturday's running events, joined by Peyton Stewart and Smith.

Freshman distance runner Karleigh Conner also had a strong meet, placing second in both in the 1,500m (4:33.18) and in 800m (2:14.53).

Next up will be a split weekend for the Ball State track and field program, as some members will travel to the War Eagle Invitational hosted by Auburn (April 19-20) and others to the Kentucky Invitational (April 20).

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

Ball State Individual Results at Ball State Challenge
Javelin
MAC Qualifying Standard: 41.21m/135-02.5 / Program Record: 42.78m/140-04.5 by Kim Woodhouse in 1982
1st - Abby Denham – 36.34m
6th - Stella East – 32.85m*

Long Jump
MAC Qualifying Standard: 5.92m/19-5.25 / Program Record: 6.60m/21-08 by Patricia Soman in 2003
1st - Michelle Lehmann – 5.51m*

4x100m Relay
School Record: 45.28 by Jazmin Smith, Bryeana Byrdsong, Jasmine Harris, Peyton Stewart in 2018
1st - Ivy McKee, Bryeana Byrdsong, Jazmin Smith, Jasmine Harris – 45.52

1,500m
MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:29.34 / Program Record: 4:25.67 by Katie Nowak in 2002
2nd - Karleigh Conner – 4:33.18*
11th - Maritza Rodriguez- 4:42.44
13th - Emmalyne Tarsa – 4:43.44*
17th - Cayla Eckenroth – 4:44.13*
25th - Emma Cunningham – 4:50.95*
33rd - Peyton Kneadler – 4:54.23
37th - Meliza Rodriguez – 4:56.74
45th - Maddie Aul – 5:03.09

100m Hurdles
MAC Qualifying Standard: 13.99 / Program Record: 13.18 by Amber Williams in 2007
2nd - Jasmine Harris – 14.12

Shot Put
MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.84m/48-08.25 / Program Record: 14.77m/48-05.5 by Kelsey Walters in 2018
4th - Kelsey Walters – 13.86m
11th - Jada Caldwell – 12.31m

400m Dash
MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.33 / Program Record: 53.68 by Yvonne Ferguson in 2006
2nd - MaQuila Norman – 56.51
4th - Wambui Watene – 57.26*
7th - Dejah Johnson – 58.20

100m Dash
MAC Qualifying Standard: 11.87 / Program Record: 11.08 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
3rd - Michelle Lehmann – 11.97*
4th - Jasmine Harris – 12.02*
6th - Ivy McKee – 12.04*

High Jump
MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m/5-6.5 / Program Record: 1.84m/6-05 by Bonita Harrington in 1984
1st - Regan Lewis – 1.65m
6th - Hailley Peters – 1.60m

800m Dash
MAC Qualifying Standard: 2:11.09 / Program Record: 2:06.40 by Angie Stewart in 1997
2nd - Karleigh Conner – 2:14.53
21st - Madison Kiser- 2:21.05*
26th - Maritza Rodriguez – 2:22.71
28th - Meghan Hedrick – 2:23.38*
32nd - Cayla Eckenroth – 2:24.94*
34th - Peyton Kneadler – 2:25.46
38th - Emma Cunningham – 2:27.93*
40th - Emmalyne Tarsa – 2:28.43*
41st - Meliza Rodriguez – 2:28.57*
60th - Maddie Aul – 2:36.78*

400m Hurdles
MAC Qualifying Standard: 1:01.77 / Program Record: 57.82 by Linise Gordon in 2000
6th - Anasja Troutman – 1:03.52*
7th - Karlie Zumbro – 1:03.60*

200m Dash
MAC Qualifying Standard: 24.25 / Program Record: 22.29 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
2nd - Bryeana Byrdsong – 24.27
3rd - Ivy McKee 24.51*

4x400m Relay
School Record: 3:38.05 by Jada Phelps, Angka Morris, Patricia Soman and Linise Gordon in 2001
1st – Wambui Watene, Dejah Johnson, Karlie Zumbro, MaQuila Norman – 3:47.44
6th - Anasja Troutman, Madison Kiser, Meghan Hedrick, Maritza Rodriguez – 4:12.01

* denotes career-best performance

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Players Mentioned

Maddie Aul

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Karleigh Conner

Emma Cunningham

Abby Denham

Stella East

Cayla Eckenroth

Jasmine Harris

Meghan Hedrick

Dejah Johnson

Madison Kiser

Peyton Kneadler

Michelle Lehmann

Regan Lewis

Ivy McKee

MaQuila Norman

Hailley Peters

Maritza Rodriguez

Meliza Rodriguez

Jazmin Smith

Peyton Stewart

Emmalyne Tarsa

Anasja Troutman

Kelsey Walters

Wambui Watene

Karlie Zumbro