Bibbs Wins First Race During College Debut as Vets and Sprinters Lead Cardinals on Opening Weekend of Indoor Season

Bibbs Wins First Race During College Debut as Vets and Sprinters Lead Cardinals on Opening Weekend of Indoor Season

December 06, 2025 | Track & Field

BGSU Collegiate Opener GVSU Holiday Open

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- On Saturday, 28 Cardinals participated against competitors mostly from Bowling Green and Cleveland State in the indoor season's opening competition, at BGSU's Perry Fieldhouse. On Friday, Ball State distance runners Sarah Mahnensmith and Maci Hoskins ran a 5,000-meter race at the GVSU Holiday Open in Allendale, Michigan.

The biggest storyline in the indoor season's first meet was a cast of sprinters who took top honors, including senior Alana Springer and freshman Trinity Bibbs who made her college debut. Springer and Laya'Lapri Ratney finished first and second in the 60-meter dash, after both set personal record times in a fast preliminary paced by Springer's 7.45 seconds. Ratney, a sophomore transfer from Abilene Christian, was third in the heat at 7.57 but finished behind Springer in the final. Fourth in the same heat and fifth overall was Cardinals' freshman Trinity Bibbs who made her college debut.

Citing several seniors including Springer's win in the 60m and the anchor leg of the 4x400-meter relay, Cardinals coach Adrian Wheatley said, "Our veterans set the tone today, and our newcomers stepped in and got the live reps they needed. This meet gave us a clean snapshot of where we are as a program. Early-season opportunities like this — especially against the defending champs — are exactly what help us grow. We'll build from what we saw today."

Ratney ran another personal-best in the 60m hurdles with another second-place time of 8.55 seconds. She won her heat with a time of 8.64 and edged teammate Kenli Nettles in both the prelim and final. Shortly after finishing behind Springer and Ratney in the 60 meters, Bibbs won her first college race in the 200m dash, ahead of Bowling Green's Delaney Jones. Ball State teammates Savannah Lake and Jiah Davenport finished third and fourth.

Not to be outdone by the sprinters, senior Malena Higgins won the weight throw competition among 12 participants, and finished third in the shot put. Just ahead of her in the shot was senior teammate Sydney Miller who finished second with a personal record of 13.33 meters. She led six Cardinals who placed in the top 10 in the event, including Ayla Rice, sixth, and Kenli Nettles, seventh, who also recorded personal bests.

Ball State multi-event stars Nettles and Kendra Keesling, also seniors, showcased their talents in multiple events while placing in the shot put, long jump and 60m hurdles.

Weight Throw
1st, Malena Higgins, Sr., 15.78m
4th, Brooklyn Taylor, Sr., 14.97m
8th, Ayla Rice, Jr., 13.53m
10th, Sydney Miller, Sr., 12.98

Shot Put
2nd, Sydney Miller, Sr., 13.33m PR
3rd, Malena Higgins, Sr., 12.77m
6th, Ayla Rice, Jr., 12.14m PR
7th, Kenli Nettles, Sr., 12.11m PR
8th, Kendra Keesling, Sr., 10.30m
10th, Phaelin Jones, Fr., 8.44m

High Jump
1st, Malina Miller, Sr., 1.73m PR (tie)
T-2nd, Bella Jackson, Sr., 1.65m
T-2nd, Lexi Hale, Jr., 1.65m, PR (tie)

Long Jump
5th, Kylee Marshall, Jr., 5.23m
6th, Brenna Lehrke, Sr., 5.12m
7th, Kendra Keesling, Sr., 5.11m
8th, Phaelin Jones, Fr., 5.05m
9th, Lindley Steele, Sr., 5.00m
10th, Taylor Hickman, Sr., 4.98m

Triple Jump
3rd, Brenna Lehrke, Sr., 11.33m
5th, Taylor Hickman, Sr., 9.93m

300m Dash
3rd, Haylie Yeazell, Fr., 40.79
5th, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr., 41.31
6th, Abby Brennan, Sr., 41.39
10th, Mikayla Mimnaugh, Jr., 49.42

60m Hurdles
2nd, Laya'Lapri Ratney, So., 8.55 PR
4th, Kenli Nettles, Sr., 8.79 PR
6th, Lauren Graham, Sr., 9.09
7th, Lily Eagleston, Fr., 9.21
Kendra Keesling, Sr., 9.47 PR
Phaelin Jones, Fr., 10.04

60m Dash
1st, Alana Springer, Sr., 7.48 (Prelim 7.45 PR)
2nd, Laya'Lapri Ratney, So., 7.61 (Prelim 7.57 PR)
5th, Trinity Bibbs, Fr., 7.72
7th, Kylee Marshall, Jr., 7.77
Jiah Davenport, So., 7.80 PR
Paige Kirtz, Sr., 7.82 PR
Savannah Lake, Jr., 7.87
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr., 7.94
Lindley Steele, Sr., 8.10

200m Dash
1st, Trinity Bibbs, Fr., 25.38
3rd, Savannah Lake, Jr., 25.89
4th, Jiah Davenport, So., 26.72

4 x 400m Relay
2nd, Ball State (Brennan, Kirtz, Yeazell, Springer), 3:54.12