Walters’ Program Record Sets Tone in Track & Field's Final Tune-Up

Friday, February 21

Muncie, IN

5 p.m.

Ball State University

Ball State Tune-Up

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

Walters’ Program Record Sets Tone in Track & Field's Final Tune-Up

February 21, 2020 | Track & Field

Ball State Tune-Up Complete Results Photo Gallery

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State indoor track & field team entered Friday's Ball State Tune-Up looking to set the tone for next week's Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships hosted by Akron.

They did that and more inside the BSU Field Sports Building, logging a school record, two new MAC automatic qualifying marks, 11 event wins and 16 career-best performances.

In a meet dominated by big performances, senior thrower Kelsey Walters (Troy, Ohio/Troy) stole the show by breaking the previous program record in the shot put in three of her six throws.

Her longest came on her fourth attempt, when she tossed the shot 15.15m, which is also a MAC automatic qualifying mark. However, she also beat the previous program record of 14.77m in both her second (14.83m) and fifth (14.97m) attempts.

"Kelsey was the star of the meet," head coach Brian Etelman said. "She's been knocking on the indoor record for two years now and it's great to see her break it. She's now set both our indoor and outdoor records in the shot put, which tells you how much hard work she's put in over her career."

Ball State's second MAC automatic qualifying mark came in the 200m, which senior Bryeana Byrdsong (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) won in 24.64. However, because of Ball State's track size, the time converts to 24.27 for ranking purposes and gives Byrdsong her second MAC automatic qualifying mark of the season.

Byrdsong had already posted a MAC automatic qualifying mark in the 60m with a time of 7.58 at the Gene Edmonds Memorial Invite (Jan. 10), but was able to better the effort tonight with a first-place time of 7.56.

"Bryeana looked really good tonight," Etelman said. "She turned in a pair of awesome performances and looked the sharpest she has all season."

Freshman Charity Griffith (Arlington, Ind./Rushville) also picked up a pair of event victories, winning both the high jump (1.62m) and long jump (5.22m) with career-best efforts.

Also winning individual events for the Cardinals were: senior Megan Graves (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) in the weight throw (17.76m), redshirt freshman Kennedy Batts (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) in the 60m hurdles (8.90), freshman Vivian Van Eck (Shorewood, Ill./Minooka Community) in the mile (5:06.04), senior Peyton Kneadler (Monticello, Ind./Twin Lakes) in the 800m (2:16.58) and junior Dejah Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) in the 600m (1:34.47).

The Cardinals closed out the meet with a first-place time of 4:53.86 in the 4x400m relay comprised of redshirt sophomore Cayla Eckenroth (Novi, Mich./Northville), freshman Grace Dean (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence North), sophomore Meghan Hedrick (Norwalk, Ohio/St. Paul) and Kneadler.

Next up for the Cardinals, the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships which begin Friday and run through Saturday at Akron's Stile Athletics Field House.

"We had a lot of people look better today than they have all year," Etelman concluded. "That's exactly what you want momentum wise rolling into the MAC Championships."

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

Ball State Individual Results in the Ball State Tune-Up
Weight Throw  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 18.25m / 59-10.5  / Program Record: 18.55m / 60-10 by Marie Lumpkin in 2015
1st - Megan Graves - 17.76m
2nd - Jada Caldwell - 15.39m*

High Jump / MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m / 5-6.5  / Program Record: 1.81m / 5-11.25 by Regan Lewis in 2017
1st - Charity Griffith - 1.62m*
2nd - Karlie Zumbro - 1.52m

60m Hurdles / MAC Qualifying Standard: 8.64 / Program Record: 8.19 by Amber Williams in 2007
1st - Kennedy Batts - 8.90
2nd - Karlie Zumbro - 9.27
3rd - Charity Griffith - 9.44*

60m Dash  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 7.60 / Program Record: 7.33 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1998
1st - Bryeana Byrdsong - 7.56
2nd - Michelle Lehmann - 7.63*
3rd - Ivy McKee - 7.71*
4th - MaQuila Norman - 7.77
5th - Amber Jones - 7.78 / 7.75* prelim
6th - Paris Carver - 7.82

Mile Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:51.38 / Program Record: 4:50.10 by MaryKate Mellen in 2013
1st - Vivian Van Eck - 5:06.04*
2nd - Emmalyne Tarsa - 5:07.99*
3rd - Cayla Eckenroth - 5:11.48*
5th - Hannah Cummings - 5:14.73

Long Jump  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 5.82m / 19-1.25  / Program Record: 6.43m / 21-1.5 by Patricia Soman in 2003
1st - Charity Griffith - 5.22m*
2nd - Michelle Lehmann - 5.02m

Shot Put  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.93m / 48-11.75  / Program Record: 15.15m / 49-8-5 by Gena Rusch in 1990
1st - Kelsey Walters - 15.15m* - PROGRAM RECORD & MAC Auto Mark
2nd - Jada Caldwell - 13.48m
3rd - Abby Denham - 11.12m*

800m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 2:11.14 / Program Record: 2:07.30 by Natasha Lothery in 2002
1st - Peyton Kneadler - 2:16.58
2nd - Grace Dean - 2:17.75*
3rd - Meghan Hedrick - 2:24.26*

200m Dash  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 24.48  / Program Record: 23.25 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
1st - Bryeana Byrdsong - 24.64 / Converts to 24.27 for MAC Auto Mark
2nd - Ivy McKee - 25.18
3rd - Paris Carver - 26.36

600m Run / Program Record: 1:33.23 by Natasha Lothery in 2003
1st - Dejah Johnson - 1:34.47*
2nd - Madison Kiser - 1:35.48*

4x400 Relay  / Program Record: 3:39.94 (c) by Jada Phelps, Angka Morris, Patricia Soman and Linise Gordon in 2001
1st - Cayla Eckenroth, Grace Dean, Meghan Hedrick, Peyton Kneadler - 4:53.86

* denotes career-best performance