Griffith Wins Heptathlon, Cardinals Finish Joe Walker Invitational

OXFORD, Miss. – The Ball State track and field team finished day two of the Joe Walker Invitational with an event win and strong individual performances.

Senior Charity Griffith won the heptathlon event and set a new Ball State program record and personal best with her final tally of 5517. She beat her own previous school record of 5455. This mark places her at the top of the MAC outdoor performance leaderboard. Her heptathlon mark has her ranked eighth in the NCAA standings. With her score in the heptathlon long jump today, Griffith currently has the third-best result in the MAC standings in the long jump.

Senior Lea-Marie Diedicke scored 4827 in the heptathlon, placing her at second on the MAC outdoor performance list and improving her personal best by 400 points. Diedicke's performance in the javelin earned her a top-seven placing in the MAC.

The 4x400 relay squad of Alexis Thigpen, Jenna Oriani, Allison Valladay and Emma Potter ran a season best time. Their performance puts them in second place in the MAC standings.

Freshman Alana Springer ran a personal best time in the 100m (11.83), earning a second-place finish. Her time is the second-best time in the MAC standings for the 100m. Lindley Steele also notched a career best in the 100m.

Jessica Velez ran a huge collegiate best in the 5000m, running an 18:40. Ella Fullmer earned a lifetime personal best in the 5000m, improving her time by 35 seconds.
Vivian Van Eck ran a strong race and a 10-second personal best in the 5000m.

Jenna Schifferer ran a collegiate personal best in the 800m. Sarah Greer won her heat in the 1500m and ran a personal best, improving her time by nine seconds.

Emma Potter ran a season best time in the 400m, a time that places her at fifth in the current MAC rankings for the 400m. Malena Higgins scored an outdoor collegiate personal record in the shot put.

The Cardinals will host their first home meet of the season, the We Fly Challenge, at the Briner Sports Complex track on April 14-15, when the Cardinals will recognize their seniors at 11:30 a.m. for their contributions to the program.

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Individual Results in the Joe Walker Invitational
   **Rankings refer to the individual's results in the respective meet**

Heptathlon / Program Record: 5,455 by Charity Griffith in 2022
1. Charity Griffith
6. Lea-Marie Diedicke

Long Jump
- 1. Charity Griffith
- 7. Lea-Marie Diedicke
Javelin
- 13. Charity Griffith
- 6. Lea-Marie Diedicke
800m
- 4. Charity Griffith
- 3. Lea-Marie Diedicke

Shot Put / Program Record: 48-5.5 / 14.77m by Kelsey Walters in 2018
21. Malena Higgins PR

4x100m Relay / Program Record: 44.85 by Kennedy Batts, Bryeana Byrdsong, MaQuila Norman, Michelle Lehman in 2021
2. 'A': Moriah Johnson, Alana Springer, Lindley Steele, Jenna Oriani

100m Hurdles / Program Record: 13.18 by Amber Williams in 2007
11. Jenelle Rogers
15. Mary Porter
16. Jennah Rogers
24. Makensie Kramer

400m / Program Record: 53.68 by Yvonne Ferguson in 2006
8. Emma Potter
12. Allison Valladay

100m / Program Record: 11.08 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
2. Alana Springer
10. Jenna Oriani
13. Lindley Steele
19. Moriah Johnson
40. Taylor Hickman

800m / Program Record: 2:06.40 by Angie Stewart in 1997
32. Jenna Schifferer

1500m / Program Record: 4:25.67 by Katie Nowak in 2002
13. Sarah Greer
24. Jenna Schifferer

400m Hurdles / Program Record: 57.82 by Linise Gordon in 2000
7. Leila Williams-Molitor
11. Mary Porter
13. Jennah Rogers

4x400m Relay / Program Record: 3:38.05 by Linise Gordon, Angka Morris, Jada Phelps, Patricia Soman in 2001
4. 'A': Leila Williams-Molitor, Jenna Oriani, Allison Valladay, Emma Potter

5000m / Program Record: 16:15.29 by Katie Nowak in 2003
3. Vivian Van Eck
6. Ella Fullmer
7. Jessica Velez

Griffith Wins Heptathlon, Cardinals Finish Joe Walker Invitational

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Players Mentioned

Kennedy Batts

Ella Fullmer

Taylor Hickman

Malena Higgins

Moriah Johnson

Makensie Kramer

MaQuila Norman

Jenna Oriani

Mary Porter

Emma Potter

Jenelle Rogers

Jennah Rogers

Jenna Schifferer

Alana Springer

Lindley Steele

Alexis Thigpen

Allison Valladay

Jessica Velez

Leila Williams-Molitor