Track & Field Hosts MAC Outdoor Championship Starting Thursday

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MUNCIE, Ind. - - It's the biggest week of the year for the Ball State track & field program, and to make it even more special, the Cardinals welcome the entire league to University Track at the Briner Sports Complex for the 2019 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships.

The three-day event, which runs Thursday, May 9 to Saturday, May 11, features athletes from all 12 MAC women's teams and all six MAC men's programs.

Action begins at 10:00 a.m. Thursday with action in the women's hammer. The women's heptathlon gets underway at 11:30 a.m. with the 100m hurdles, while the men's decathlon starts at noon with the 100m.

In the seventh season of automatic qualifying standards, the Cardinals will enter a program-best seven automatic qualifiers in the event:

Bryeana Byrdsong - 100m (11.70) / 200m (23.85)
Jasmine Harris - 200m (24.02) / 100m hurdles (13.83)
Peyton Stewart - 100m (11.87)
MaQuila Norman - 400m (55.26)
Karleigh Conner - 800m (2:10.88)
Emmalyne Tarsa - 3000m steeplechase (10:52.23)
Regan Lewis - high jump (1.71m)

In addition to the seven automatic qualifiers, the Cardinals have 21 individual athletes and a pair of relays entered in the championship.

Under the current format, events are capped at 20 participants. If 20 student-athletes did not earn automatic marks in an event, which the Cardinals had five student-athletes do, entrants are selected going down the conference's performance list. The top eight performers from each event score based on a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale.

Ball State's MAC Championship Entries by Day:

Thursday, May 9
Hammer (10a - Trials/Finals): Megan Graves (18th - 49.01m)
Javelin (4p - Trials/Finals): Abby Denham (11th - 39.47m), Stella East (18th - 32.85m)
400m Hurdles (5:05p - Trials): Karlie Zumbro (16th - 1:03.60)
200m (5:40p - Trials): Bryeana Byrdsong (3rd - 23.85), Jasmine Harris (6th - 24.02), Ivy McKee (9th - 24.42)
10,000m (6:15p - Finals): Maritza Rodriguez (22nd - NT)

Friday, May 10
Shot Put (3:30p - Trials/Finals): Kelsey Walters (11th - 14.69m), Jada Caldwell (18th - 12.77m)
100m Hurdles (4:45p - Trials): Jasmine Harris (6th - 13.83), Anasja Troutman (10th - 14.11)
Long Jump (5p - Trials/Finals): Michelle Lehmann (14th - 5.51m)
400m (5:25p - Trials): MaQuila Norman (8th - 55.26), Dejah Johnson (20th - 57.18)
100m (6:05p - Trials): Bryeana Byrdsong (3rd - 11.70), Peyton Stewart (7th - 11.87), Michelle Lehmann (11th - 11.97)
800m (6:45p - Trials): Karleigh Conner (4th - 2:10.88)
3,000m Steeplechase (7:25p - Finals): Emmalyne Tarsa (6th - 10:52.23)

Saturday, May 11
4x100m Relay (1p - Finals): Ball State "A" (2nd - 45.30)
Discus (2:30p - Trials/Finals): Princess Carter (12th - 46.18m)
High Jump (2:30p - Trials/Finals): Regan Lewis (3rd - 1.71m), Hailley Peters (18th - 1.61m)
5,000m (4:05p - Finals): Maritza Rodriguez (5th - 16:58.87), Cayla Eckenroth (19th - 17:33.17)
4x400m Relay (4:45p - Finals): Ball State "A" (4th - 3:47.44)

Three Things To Know Entering The MAC Outdoor Championships:
No. 1: Base on the entry list, Ball State is poised to score some BIG points at this week's MAC Outdoor Championship … The Cardinals are currently projected to score 52 points this week, which would be the most since the 2009 squad placed 6th at the championships with a score of 62.5 points.

Junior Bryeana Byrdsong is projected to lead the team with 12 individual points, ranking third in both the 100m (11.70) and 200m (23.85) … She is also listed as a possible participant in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

No. 2: Senior Regan Lewis is looking to make Mid-American Conference history this weekend when she goes for her fifth consecutive high jump championship.

Saturday's event final will mark the 728th day since Lewis won her first high jump championship.

Here is a quick look back at her last four championship runs:
2017 Outdoor - Cleared 1.82m to win … Second place was Akron's Nikki Manson at 1.78m
2018 Indoor - Cleared 1.76m to win … Second place was Toledo's Atalia Da Silva at 1.72m
2018 Outdoor - Cleared 1.79m to win … Second place was Northern Illinois' Chennel Palmer at 1.64m
2019 Indoor - Cleared 1.69m to win … Won in a six-round jump off versus Akron's Maike Anstett

#FlashbackFriday to the last 4?#MACtion high jump championships ...

You won't want to miss #BallStateGrad Regan Lewis next week (May 9-11) as she looks to make it 5?straight titles at University Track in the Briner Sports Complex#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #BallState100 | #ncaaTF pic.twitter.com/3WJuwtyh3s
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) May 3, 2019

No. 3: Senior Peyton Stewart will be battling for her second MAC Outdoor Championship, as she also claimed the 2017 title in the 100m with a career-fast time of 11.55 … Last season, Stewart placed second in the 100m finals at 11.66.

DYK: @PEYme_ captured the 100m title at the 2017 #MACtion Outdoor Championships w/a career-fast time of 11.55.

After finishing 2nd last season in 11.66, she is looking to get back to the top of the podium this week at University Track ????#ChirpChirp | #WeFly | #ncaatf pic.twitter.com/XBjh5gqkZq
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) May 7, 2019

Last Time at the MAC Outdoor Championships:
BUFFALO, N.Y.- - Junior Regan Lewis capture her third straight Mid-American Conference high jump title, while two Ball State track & field runners placed in the top four of the 100m dash to lead the program to its highest point total at the MAC Outdoor Championships in nearly a decade.

Over three days of competition at Buffalo's Stadium Track, Ball State's student athletes scored in seven of the 16 events they competed in to rack up 49.5 points. It's the most points at the outdoor conference meet since 2009 and helped the Cardinals claim their first top 10 finish in the meet since 2012.

COMPLETE RECAPS: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

[RECAP] @BallStateTFXC earns largest point total in nearly a decade as 10 Cardinals help score 49.5 points at @MACSports Outdoor Championships
Lewis: 3x MAC High Jump Champion
Byrdsong: Scored in 4 Events
Stewart: 2nd in 100m & 4x100m#ChirpChirp | #WeFly https://t.co/O2JnxvShBK
— BallStateTrack&XC (@BallStateTFXC) May 13, 2018

Track & Field Hosts MAC Outdoor Championship Starting Thursday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Princess Carter

Karleigh Conner

Abby Denham

Stella East

Cayla Eckenroth

Megan Graves

Jasmine Harris

Dejah Johnson

Michelle Lehmann

Regan Lewis

Regan Lewis

Ivy McKee

MaQuila Norman

Hailley Peters

Maritza Rodriguez

Peyton Stewart

Emmalyne Tarsa

Anasja Troutman

Kelsey Walters

Karlie Zumbro

Track & Field Hosts MAC Outdoor Championship Starting Thursday

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Princess Carter

Karleigh Conner

Abby Denham

Stella East

Cayla Eckenroth

Megan Graves

Jasmine Harris

Dejah Johnson

Michelle Lehmann

Regan Lewis

Regan Lewis

Ivy McKee

MaQuila Norman

Hailley Peters

Maritza Rodriguez

Peyton Stewart

Emmalyne Tarsa

Anasja Troutman

Kelsey Walters

Karlie Zumbro

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