Ball State University Athletics
Byrdsong and Norman Advance to NCAA East Preliminary Championships
May 16, 2019 | Track & Field
MUNCIE, Ind. - - For just the second time in the current regional format, the Ball State track & field program will be sending a pair of student-athletes to the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field East Preliminary Championships which will be held May 23-25 at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium.
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"What a great accomplishment for both Bryeana and MaQuila to represent our program and our university at the first round of the NCAA Championship," head coach Brian Etelman said. "What's most impressive is their qualifying marks came from the MAC Championship on a cool, windy and wet day. It really shows their ability to step up and compete when the pressure is on. There is something to be said for two young ladies from the Midwest performing at a high level in the sprints."
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Junior sprinter Bryeana Byrdsong, the reigning Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championship Most Valuable Performer, will represent the Cardinals in both the 100m and 200m. She is the first Ball State student-athlete to qualify for the 200m in the current regional format (2010-present) and is the second in the 100m.
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In addition, Byrdsong is poised to become the first Ball State sprinter to compete in both the 100m & 200m in any NCAA regional competition (2003-present). She is currently seeded 35th in the 100m at 11.51 and 32nd in the 200m at 23.53. Both are career-best times recorded at last week's MAC Outdoor Championships.
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Sophomore sprinter MaQuila Norman also become the first Ball State student-athlete to qualify for the 400m under the current regional format after placing fourth in the event at MAC Outdoor Championships with a career-fast time of 53.94. Her time is currently seeded 48th.
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Both Byrdsong and Norman will be making their first appearance at the NCAA East Preliminary Championships which features the top 48 competitors in the region for each event. The top 12 finishers from both the NCAA East and NCAA West Preliminary Championships advance to the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas (June 5-8).
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"I truly believe they have quality races left in them this season," Etelman added. "We fully expect to go down to Jacksonville and put on great performances while competing against some of the World's best."
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Prior to Byrdsong, current senior Peyton Stewart was the last Ball State student-athlete to qualify for the East Preliminary Round, as she placed 36th in the region in 2017. Current senior Regan Lewis also qualified for the long jump that season, placing 21st, marking the only other time Ball State had a pair of student-athletes qualify for regionals in the same season in the current two-region format.
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The last Cardinal to qualify for regionals in the 400m was Yvonne Ferguson in 2007, when there were four regional competitions; East, Mideast, Midwest and West.
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For the most up-to-date news on Ball State track & field, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateTFXC.
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"What a great accomplishment for both Bryeana and MaQuila to represent our program and our university at the first round of the NCAA Championship," head coach Brian Etelman said. "What's most impressive is their qualifying marks came from the MAC Championship on a cool, windy and wet day. It really shows their ability to step up and compete when the pressure is on. There is something to be said for two young ladies from the Midwest performing at a high level in the sprints."
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Junior sprinter Bryeana Byrdsong, the reigning Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championship Most Valuable Performer, will represent the Cardinals in both the 100m and 200m. She is the first Ball State student-athlete to qualify for the 200m in the current regional format (2010-present) and is the second in the 100m.
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In addition, Byrdsong is poised to become the first Ball State sprinter to compete in both the 100m & 200m in any NCAA regional competition (2003-present). She is currently seeded 35th in the 100m at 11.51 and 32nd in the 200m at 23.53. Both are career-best times recorded at last week's MAC Outdoor Championships.
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Sophomore sprinter MaQuila Norman also become the first Ball State student-athlete to qualify for the 400m under the current regional format after placing fourth in the event at MAC Outdoor Championships with a career-fast time of 53.94. Her time is currently seeded 48th.
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Both Byrdsong and Norman will be making their first appearance at the NCAA East Preliminary Championships which features the top 48 competitors in the region for each event. The top 12 finishers from both the NCAA East and NCAA West Preliminary Championships advance to the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas (June 5-8).
Â
"I truly believe they have quality races left in them this season," Etelman added. "We fully expect to go down to Jacksonville and put on great performances while competing against some of the World's best."
Â
Prior to Byrdsong, current senior Peyton Stewart was the last Ball State student-athlete to qualify for the East Preliminary Round, as she placed 36th in the region in 2017. Current senior Regan Lewis also qualified for the long jump that season, placing 21st, marking the only other time Ball State had a pair of student-athletes qualify for regionals in the same season in the current two-region format.
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The last Cardinal to qualify for regionals in the 400m was Yvonne Ferguson in 2007, when there were four regional competitions; East, Mideast, Midwest and West.
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For the most up-to-date news on Ball State track & field, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateTFXC.
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