Cardinals Soar at Day One of MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Cardinals Soar at Day One of MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships

May 11, 2023 | Track & Field

AKRON, Ohio – The Ball State track and field team finished day one of the 2023 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships and showed a strong start to the weekend.

With four events completed in the heptathlon event today, the Cardinals are in solid positions heading into day two. Charity Griffith leads the pack after day one with 3571 points, Jenelle Rogers is right behind in second place with 3569 points, and Lea-Marie Diedicke is in seventh place with 2943 points.

Charity Griffith won the 100m hurdles and the high jump in the heptathlon event, and she finished second in the 200m. Jenelle Rogers won both the 200m and the shot put in the heptathlon and finished second in the high jump and 100m hurdles. Griffith, Rogers and Diedicke ran personal bests in the heptathlon 200m and they each recorded a personal best performance in the javelin throw.

Sarah Mahnensmith earned a top-10 finish in the 1500m prelims, qualifying her for the 1500m finals on Saturday.

Lea-Marie Diedicke notched a personal best time in the 400m hurdles with a 1:04.02. Leila Williams-Molitor also ran a personal best time in the 400m hurdles, running a 1:04.67.

Jenna Oriani ran a 23.95 in the 200m, qualifying her for the 200m finals. Alana Springer also qualified for the 200m finals after running a 23.98 in the prelims. Oriani, Springer and Lindley Steele ran a personal best lifetime mark in the 200m.

Jessica Velez ran a huge personal best in the 10k. Velez finished nine spots ahead of her original ranking as a sophomore in her first MAC appearance.

The Cardinals are back in action tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. with the javelin throw in the heptathlon event. See below for the Ball State entries for day two of the MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

Individual Results in the MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships
**Rankings refer to the individual's results in the respective meet**

Heptathlon / Program Record: 5,455 by Charity Griffith in 2022
(Day 1 of 2)
1. Charity Griffith
2. Jenelle Rogers
7. Lea-Marie Diedicke

Javelin / Program Record: 142-8.9 / 43.51m by Abby Denham in 2021
9. Lea-Marie Diedicke
10. Charity Griffith
12. Jenelle Rogers

1500m / Program Record: 4:25.67 by Katie Nowak in 2002 8:50
9. Sarah Mahnensmith (4:36.05)
19. Ella Fullmer
20. Sarah Greer

400m Hurdles / Program Record: 57.82 by Linise Gordon in 2000
14. Lea-Marie Diedicke
15. Leila Williams-Molitor
20. Mary Porter

200m / Program Record: 22.29 by LaTasha Jenkins in 1999
4. Jenna Oriani
5. Alana Springer
11. Lindley Steele

10,000m Run / Program Record: 33:54.66 by Jill Scully in 2006
13. Jessica Velez
15. Vivian Van Eck
17. Jenna Schifferer

Ball State Entries for Friday, May 12:

Heptathlon: Jenelle Rogers, Charity Griffith, Lea-Marie Diedicke
Long Jump (12:30 p.m.)
Javelin Throw (2:00 p.m.)
800m Run (3:30 p.m.)
Shot Put (2:00 p.m.): Malena Higgins, Jenelle Rogers
100m Hurdles Prelims (4:10 p.m.): Jenelle Rogers, Jennah Rogers, Charity Griffith
400m Prelims (4:45 p.m.): Allison Valladay, Emma Potter
Long Jump (5:00 p.m.): Charity Griffith, Jenelle Rogers
100m Prelims (5:20 p.m.): Alana Springer, Jenna Oriani, Moriah Johnson, Lindley Steele
3k Steeplechase (6:30 p.m.): Juliana Stogsdill, Shelby Christman