Friday, October 3
South Bend, Ind.
TBA
Ball State University
vs
Joe Piane Invitational
Photo by: Madeline Howell/Ball State Athletics
Spletzer Leads Ball State with Top-10 Finish and Career-Best Time in 5K at Notre Dame
October 03, 2025 | Cross Country
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Senior Carly Spletzer shaved seven seconds off the best 5K time of her career on Friday morning while pacing Ball State at the Joe Piane Invitational at Burke Golf Course.
The course represented the Cardinals' first 5K race this season, having run in 4K and 6K races to start the fall season. Spletzer finished 10th out of 171 runners, and Ball State finished in 11th place out of 22 teams in the Women's Gold Division. A total of 42 colleges were represented among five men's and women's races that took place on the Notre Dame campus.
Spletzer crossed the finish line in a time of 17:41.1, knocking over seven seconds off her previous career-best of 17:48.8. Similarly, junior Kendyl Thrasher produced a personal-best while finishing over 30 seconds better than her previous record. Thrasher's 19:28.5 put her in 113th place to cap the Cardinals' lineup.
For the rest of Ball State's young lineup, it was the first 5K of their college careers. Freshman Emily Decker completed the course in 44th place with a time of 18:29.4. Sophomore Tori Jackson raced to a finish of 18:53.4, and freshmen Rosie Gonzalez and Sadey Seyferth finished five seconds apart at 19:09.6 and 19:14.7, respectively.
"Today was an opportunity for our ladies to build on our last competition," said Ball State track & field and cross country coach Adrian Wheatley. "Every meet is a chance for us to improve. This is just a check point on our journey."
He continued, "We will compete and stay focused in training and preparation over the next several weeks," prior to the Cardinals' next race in Peoria, Illinois, on Oct. 17. "We saw some season-best performances and individuals competing bravely," added Wheatley. "We look forward to the rest of the season."
Following the race hosted by Bradley University in two weeks, the Cardinals take part in the 2025 MAC Championship in Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 1, followed by the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 14.
The course represented the Cardinals' first 5K race this season, having run in 4K and 6K races to start the fall season. Spletzer finished 10th out of 171 runners, and Ball State finished in 11th place out of 22 teams in the Women's Gold Division. A total of 42 colleges were represented among five men's and women's races that took place on the Notre Dame campus.
Spletzer crossed the finish line in a time of 17:41.1, knocking over seven seconds off her previous career-best of 17:48.8. Similarly, junior Kendyl Thrasher produced a personal-best while finishing over 30 seconds better than her previous record. Thrasher's 19:28.5 put her in 113th place to cap the Cardinals' lineup.
For the rest of Ball State's young lineup, it was the first 5K of their college careers. Freshman Emily Decker completed the course in 44th place with a time of 18:29.4. Sophomore Tori Jackson raced to a finish of 18:53.4, and freshmen Rosie Gonzalez and Sadey Seyferth finished five seconds apart at 19:09.6 and 19:14.7, respectively.
"Today was an opportunity for our ladies to build on our last competition," said Ball State track & field and cross country coach Adrian Wheatley. "Every meet is a chance for us to improve. This is just a check point on our journey."
He continued, "We will compete and stay focused in training and preparation over the next several weeks," prior to the Cardinals' next race in Peoria, Illinois, on Oct. 17. "We saw some season-best performances and individuals competing bravely," added Wheatley. "We look forward to the rest of the season."
Following the race hosted by Bradley University in two weeks, the Cardinals take part in the 2025 MAC Championship in Buffalo, N.Y., on Nov. 1, followed by the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, Nov. 14.
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