Griffith Wins Pentathlon, Cardinals Tally Nine Top-Five Finishes

Griffith Wins Pentathlon, Cardinals Tally Nine Top-Five Finishes

February 24, 2023 | Track & Field

BOWLING GREEN, OHIO – The Ball State track and field team completed day one of the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships with an event win in the pentathlon and another program record by Charity Griffith, nine overall top-five finishes, and four student-athletes advancing on to tomorrow's finals in their respective events.

The first event of the day, the pentathlon, earned the Cardinals three top-five finishes with senior Charity Griffith winning the event (4,315), junior Jenelle Rogers placing second (3,938), and senior Lea-Marie Diedicke placing fifth (3,650).

Griffith tallied an indoor best score and broke yet another program record in the pentathlon earning 4,315 (before conversions for track size), passing the previous record she set in 2023 (4,179).

In the 800m, junior Kayla Jones won the preliminary event running a 2:11.33, automatically qualifying her for tomorrow's finals at 3:20 p.m.

Junior Alexis Thigpen ran a 57.27 in the 400m, qualifying her for the finals tomorrow at 2:35 p.m.

Sophomore Jenna Oriani (7.52) and freshman Alana Springer (7.56) each qualified for the 60m dash finals tomorrow. Oriani placed second in her heat. Lindley Steele ran a 7.64, and all three student-athletes notched personal best times in the 60m.

Oriani and Springer each won their heats in the 200m dash, tying for fifth overall and running the same exact time of 24.73. They each will move on to Saturday's finals at 3:40 p.m.

The Cardinals will continue competition at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow with the triple jump. The second day of events concludes at 4:50 p.m. with the 4x400m relay.

Individual Results in the MAC Indoor Championships

FRIDAY FEB. 24th
Pentathlon / Program Record: 4,179 points by Charity Griffith in 2023

1. Charity Griffith 4,315
2. Jenelle Rogers 3,938
5. Lea-Marie Diedicke 3,650

Long Jump / Program Record: 6.43m / 21-1.5 by Patricia Soman in 2003

3. Charity Griffith (5.93m / 19-5.5)
4. Jenelle Rogers (5.88m / 19-3.5)
17. Moriah Johnson (5.25m / 17-3.0)

Mile Run / Program Record: 4:50.10 by MaryKate Mellen in 2013

14. Sarah Greer (5:03.21)
17. Shelby Christman (5:10.17)

60m Hurdles / Program Record: 8.19 by Amber Williams in 2007

16. Jennah Rogers (9.20)
18. Makensie Kramer (9.25)

400m

8. Alexis Thigpen (57.27)(q)
10. Emma Potter (57.76)

60m Dash / Program Record: 7.33 (c) by LaTasha Jenkins in 1998

4. Jenna Oriani (7.52) (Q)
7. Alana Springer (7.56)(q)
9. Lindley Steele (7.64)

800m / Program Record: 2:07.30 by Natasha Lothery in 2002

1. Kayla Jones (2:11.33)(Q)
17. Grace Dean (2:17.53)

200m Dash / Program Record: 23.25 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999

5. Jenna Oriani (24.73) (Q)
5. Alana Springer (24.73) (Q)
17. Lindley Steele (25.49)

Distance Medley Relay / 11:34.14 by Donna Harless, Linise Gordon, Natasha Lothery, Katie Nowak in 2001

7. Ball State "A" (Carly Spletzer, Leila Williams-Molitor, Evie Noel, Sarah Mahnensmith) (11:58.84)

Ball State Entries in the MAC Indoor Championships

SATURDAY FEB. 25th
Triple Jump (11:00am): McKenna Cinotte
Shot Put (1:30pm): Malena Higgins
High Jump (2:00 pm): Charity Griffith, Jenelle Rogers
400m Finals (2:35pm) Alexis Thigpen
60m Finals (3:00 pm): Jenna Oriani, Alana Springer
800m Finals (3:20pm): Kayla Jones
200m Finals (3:40pm) Jenna Oriani, Alana Springer
3000m Run (4:10pm): Sarah Mahnensmith, Shelby Christman
4x400m Relay (4:50pm): Ball State