Jones Tallies MAC Auto Mark to Lead Track & Field at Akron

AKRON, Ohio - - Senior sprinter Amber Jones (Matteson, Ill./Rich South) became the second member of the Ball State indoor track & field program to earn a Mid-American Conference automatic qualifying mark this season with a career-fast time of 55.43 in the 400m Saturday evening at the Akron Invitational.

Jones' effort is the fifth-best individual performance in the 400m in program history and was one of 12 personal-bests on the day for the Cardinals. Ball State also racked up 16 top 10 performances at the Stile Athletics Field House, site of the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships at the end of the month.

The 400m was not the only big race for Jones, as she placed second in the gold race of the 200m with a time of 25.06.

Freshman Charity Griffith (Arlington, Ind./Rushville) was the first Ball State student-athlete to break into the top 10, placing second in the blue section of the high jump after clearing 1.59m.

Three events later, junior Dejah Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) ran her way to a career-fast time of 56.88 in the 400m blue race, taking second in that field.

Ball State did not disappoint in the 60m hurdles either, with a pair of runners qualifying for the finals. In the end, redshirt freshman Kennedy Batts (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) took third in a career-best 8.73, while junior Anasja Troutman (Chesterland, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) placed fifth in 8.83.

Ball State's distance group also shined on the day, with all six runners posting personal-bests between the 800m blue race and 3,000m gold race.

In the 800m, redshirt sophomore Madison Kiser (Royal Center, Ind./Pioneer High School) led the way with a third-place time of 2:14.57. In the 3,000m, senior Maritza Rodriguez (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) earned Ball State's fourth and final second-place effort, crossing the line in a career-fast 9:48.17. The time moved Rodriguez from fifth to third in program history in the 3,000m.

The Ball State indoor track & field team returns to action next Friday, when it opens competition in the two-day Music City Challenge hosted by Vanderbilt.

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

Friday's Results at Akron Invitational
Blue Long Jump  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 5.82m / 19-1.25  / Program Record: 6.43m / 21-1.5 by Patricia Soman in 2003
13th - Michelle Lehmann - 4.99m
14th - Karlie Zumbro - 4.94m
15th - Charity Griffith - 4.92m

Saturday's Results at Akron Invitational
Blue Mile Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 4:51.38 / Program Record: 4:50.10 by MaryKate Mellen in 2013
11th - Vivian Van Eck - 5:13.55*
18th - Hannah Cummings - 5:23.63
26th - Meghan Hedrick - 5:41.21*

Blue Weight Throw  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 18.25m / 59-10.5  / Program Record: 18.55m / 60-10 by Marie Lumpkin in 2015
15th - Jada Caldwell - 14.56m

Blue High Jump / MAC Qualifying Standard: 1.69m / 5-6.5  / Program Record: 1.81m / 5-11.25 by Regan Lewis
2nd - Charity Griffith - 1.59m

Blue Shot Put  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.93m / 48-11.75  / Program Record: 14.77m / 48-5.75 by Gena Rusch in 1990
7th - Jada Caldwell - 12.97m

Gold 60m Hurdles / MAC Qualifying Standard: 8.64 / Program Record: 8.19 by Amber Williams in 2007
3rd - Kennedy Batts - 8.73* / 8.91 prelims
5th - Anasja Troutman - 8.83 / 8.90 prelims
20th - Karlie Zumbro - 9.53

Blue 400m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.51 / Program Record: 55.11 by Linise Gordon in 2000
2nd - Dejah Johnson - 56.88*

Gold 60m Dash  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 7.60 / Program Record: 7.33 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1998
13th - Michelle Lehmann - 7.79
15th - Ivy McKee - 7.83
27th - Paris Carver - 7.99

Blue 800m Run / MAC Qualifying Standard: 2:11.14 / Program Record: 2:07.30 by Natasha Lothery in 2002
3rd - Madison Kiser - 2:14.57*
8th - Karlie Zumbro - 2:18.44*
14th - Grace Dean - 2:20.48*

Gold Shot Put  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 14.93m / 48-11.75  / Program Record: 14.77m / 48-5.75 by Gena Rusch in 1990
5th - Kelsey Walters - 14.45m

Gold Weight Throw  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 18.25m / 59-10.5  / Program Record: 18.55m / 60-10 by Marie Lumpkin in 2015
9th - Megan Graves - 16.13m

Gold 400m Dash / MAC Qualifying Standard: 55.51 / Program Record: 55.11 by Linise Gordon in 2000
4th - Amber Jones - 55.43* - MAC Auto Mark
7th - MaQuila Norman - 57.08*

Gold 200m Dash  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 24.48  / Program Record: 23.25 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
2nd - Amber Jones - 25.06
DQ - Bryeana Byrdsong

Gold 3000m Run  / MAC Qualifying Standard: 9:41.68  / Program Record: 9:31.43 by Jill Scully in 2006
2nd - Maritza Rodriguez - 9:48.17*
5th - Cayla Eckenroth - 10:02.59*
6th - Peyton Kneadler - 10:07.27*

Gold 4x400m Relay  / Program Record: 3:39.94 (c) by Jada Phelps, Angka Morris, Patricia Soman and Linise Gordon in 2001
5th - Ball State "A" - Jones, Byrdsong, Kiser, Johnson - 3:49.93

Jones Tallies MAC Auto Mark to Lead Track & Field at Akron

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Players Mentioned

Kennedy Batts

Bryeana Byrdsong

Jada Caldwell

Paris Carver

Hannah Cummings

Grace Dean

Cayla Eckenroth

Megan Graves

Charity Griffith

Meghan Hedrick

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