Track & Field Earns Pair of Top 10s in Saturday Action

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Battling some of the nation's top student-athletes, the Ball State indoor track & field team closed a highly competitive Music City Challenge with a pair of top 10 efforts Saturday at the Vanderbilt Rec Center / Indoor Track Facility.

The Cardinals' best finish came in the meet's final event, with the 4x400m relay of senior Amber Jones (Matteson, Ill./Rich South), junior Dejah Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central), senior Bryeana Byrdsong (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) and junior MaQuila Norman (Garfield Heights, Ohio/Lutheran West) placing eighth in 3:47.18.

Jones turned in Ball State's best individual finish of the day, taking 10th in the 400m at 56.12. Byrdsong nearly broke into the top 10 as well, placing 11th in the 60m at 7.68.

The Cardinals also picked up a pair of career-best performances Saturday, with freshman Vivian Van Eck clocking in at 10:07.83 in the 3000m and Norman placing 15th in the 400m at 56.49.

Overall, Ball State finished the two-day meet with six career-best performances, six top 10 finishes and one event victory.

The Cardinals return to action Friday, when they host the Ball State Tune-up in the Field Sports Building. It will serve as the program's final meet before the 2020 Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships hosted by Akron (Feb. 28-29).

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

Saturday's Results at Music City Challenge
3000m Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 9:41.68  / Program Record: 9:31.43 by Jill Scully in 2006
29th - Vivian Van Eck - 10:07.83*

Mile Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:51.38 / Program Record: 4:50.10 by MaryKate Mellen in 2013
47th - Peyton Kneadler - 5:12.53
50th - Grace Dean - 5:19.29

Shot Put  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.93m / 48-11.75  / Program Record: 14.77m / 48-5.75 by Gena Rusch in 1990
13th - Kelsey Walters - 14.18m
30th - Jada Caldwell - 11.29m

800m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 2:11.14 / Program Record: 2:07.30 by Natasha Lothery in 2002
29th - Madison Kiser - 2:16.34

400m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.51 / Program Record: 55.11 by Linise Gordon in 2000
10th - Amber Jones - 56.12
15th - MaQuila Norman - 56.49*
31st - Dejah Johnson - 57.89

60m Hurdles / MAC Qualifying Standard: 8.64 / Program Record: 8.19 by Amber Williams in 2007
17th - Anasja Troutman - 8.80
25th - Kennedy Batts - 8.91
47th - Karlie Zumbro - 9.42

60m Dash  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 7.60 / Program Record: 7.33 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1998
11th - Bryeana Byrdsong - 7.68
13th - Michelle Lehmann - 7.73
19th - Ivy McKee - 7.79
27th - Paris Carver - 7.96

4x400 Relay  / Program Record: 3:39.94 (c) by Jada Phelps, Angka Morris, Patricia Soman and Linise Gordon in 2001
8th - Amber Jones, Dejah Johnson, Bryeana Byrdsong, MaQuila Norman - 3:47.18
14th - Madison Kiser, Kennedy Batts, Anasja Troutman, Karlie Zumbro - 3:55.90

Friday's Results at Music City Challenge
High Jump / MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m / 5-6.5  / Program Record: 1.81m / 5-11.25 by Regan Lewis in 2017
T-8th - Charity Griffith - 1.59m

Weight Throw  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 18.25m / 59-10.5  / Program Record: 18.55m / 60-10 by Marie Lumpkin in 2015
9th - Megan Graves - 16.69m

Long Jump  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 5.82m / 19-1.25  / Program Record: 6.43m / 21-1.5 by Patricia Soman in 2003
Foul - Michelle Lehmann
Foul - Karlie Zumbro

200m Dash  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 24.48  / Program Record: 23.25 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
10th - Bryeana Byrdsong - 24.71
12th - MaQuila Norman - 24.73*
14th - Amber Jones - 24.81
22nd - Ivy McKee - 25.21
33rd - Michelle Lehmann - 25.73*
37th - Dejah Johnson - 25.90

Distance Medley Relay / Program Record: 11:34.14 by Donna Harless, Linise Gordon, Natasha Lothery, Katie Nowak in 2001
1st - 12:05.72 - Peyton Kneadler, Karlie Zumbro, Madison Kiser, Grace Dean

5000m Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 16:52.00 / Program Record: 16:21.66 by Ali Bishel in 2008
18th - Maritza Rodriguez - 17:01.47*
31st - Cayla Eckenroth - 17:39.17*

* denotes career-best performance

Track & Field Earns Pair of Top 10s in Saturday Action

Players Mentioned

Kennedy Batts

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Paris Carver

Grace Dean

Cayla Eckenroth

Megan Graves

Charity Griffith

Dejah Johnson

Amber Jones

Madison Kiser

Peyton Kneadler

Michelle Lehmann

Regan Lewis

Ivy McKee

MaQuila Norman

Maritza Rodriguez

Anasja Troutman

Vivian Van Eck

Kelsey Walters

Karlie Zumbro

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