Ball State's Rogers is NCAA Heptathlon Leader Through Four Events

AUSTIN, Texas - - Ball State University junior Jenelle Rogers is the leader in the heptathlon through four events after setting season or personal bests in three events Friday night. She recorded a shot put throw of 15.55 meters to break a school record and lift her into first place through three events in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She solidified her hold on the lead with a personal-best 23.59 seconds in the 200-meter dash to close the evening.

Appearing in her first NCAA Championships, Rogers opened the competition with a season-best time of 13.55 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing ninth out of the event's 24 competitors. In her second event, Rogers cleared 1.72 meters in the high jump to finish fifth in the event and rise to fifth place overall.

In the heptathlon shot put, the third of seven events in the heptathlon, her third throw eclipsed the Cardinals' program record of 14.77 meters set by Kelsey Walters in 2018. She outdistanced a throw of 15.19 by Kansas State's Urte Bacianskaite to win the shot put competition and rise into first place in the overall standings.

In the nightcap, she won the opening section of eight runners in the 200 meters and ultimately finished third.

Rogers' 3,840 overall heptathlon points lead Vanderbilt senior Beatrice Juskeviciute (3,675) in second place. USC senior Allie Jones is in third with 3,665 points and Notre Dame sophomore Jadin O'Brien (3,600) is in fourth place.

Heptathlon competitors close the event on Saturday with the long jump, javelin and 800 meters. The long jump has been one of Rogers' best events, including qualification for the NCAA East Preliminary Round last week in Jacksonville.

Meanwhile, Ball State's Charity Griffith awaits her return to the national championship stage in the women's high jump on Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. Griffith finished fifth in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, as well as last year's NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Ball State's Rogers is NCAA Heptathlon Leader Through Four Events

Players Mentioned

Jenelle Rogers

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