TF Opens Outdoor Season with Nine PRs at TCU Alumni Invite

FORT WORTH, Tx. – Ball State track and field opened the 2025 outdoor season this weekend in Fort Worth, Texas at the TCU Alumni Invite.

The throwers kick-started the weekend on Friday (Mar. 22) with the discus and hammer throw. Malena Higgins had a strong start to the weekend, throwing her way into the Ball State record book with a huge personal best improvement of 46.13 meters. Higgins's new mark now places her as the fifth farthest mark in Ball State outdoor history and was almost 10 meters farther than her previous best.

Higgins also hit a personal record in the hammer throw, alongside Sydney Miller, hitting marks of 43.55 meters and 43.05 meters, respectively.

On Saturday, the high jump was one of the first events to compete in the morning. Ball State's high jumpers Malina Miller and Kenli Nettles finished third and fourth, each hitting a height of 1.70 meters.

Meanwhile, on the track, Ball State's 4x100 meter relay team of Moriah Johnson, Kylee Marshall, Lindley Steele and Jenna Oriani started the day with a third-place finish, completing the race in a time of 46.02.

In the 400-meter dash, Emma Potter ran a competitive race, finishing in a fourth-place time of 55.74.

Coming off her success in the high jump, multis athlete, Nettles, went on to compete in the 400-meter hurdles. With a new personal best time of 1:01.51, Nettles finished the event in fifth.

Throughout the day, Ball State track and field saw nine new personal best finishes, providing an exciting start to the outdoor season.

Looking ahead, the Cardinals' distance squad will prepare for the WashU Distance Carnival in St. Louis, Missouri. The meet will start on Thursday, Mar. 27 and go through Friday, Mar. 28.

Ball State Individual Results at TCU Alumni Invite:
Friday

Field Events
Discus Throw
10^th - Malena Higgins – 46.13m*
15^th – Sydney Miller – 40.56m
18^th - Brooklyn Taylor – 37.28m

Hammer Throw
10^th - Malena Higgins – 43.55m*
13^th - Sydney Miller – 43.05m*
F - Brooklyn Taylor

Saturday
Field Events

Shot Put
8^th - Malena Higgins – 12.90m
12^th - Brooklyn Taylor – 11.82m
F - Sydney Miller

High Jump
3^rd - Malina Miller – 1.70m
4^th - Kenli Nettles – 1.70m

Long Jump
17^th - Kylee Marshall – 5.41m

Triple Jump
6^th - Mckenna Cinotte – 11.92m
12^th - Brenna Lehrke – 11.38m

Running Events

4x100m Relay
3^rd - Moriah Johnson, Kylee Marshall, Lindley Steele, Jenna Oriani – 46.02

400m
4^th - Emma Potter – 55.74
14^th - Allison Valladay – 59.98

100m
10^th - Moriah Johnson – 11.68*
18^th - Savannah Lake – 12.08
20^th - Jiah Davenport – 12.16*

400m Hurdles
5^th - Kenli Nettles – 1:01.51*
12^th – Lindley Steele – 1:06.08
17^th - Leila Williams-Molitor – 1:09.81

200m
9^th - Jenna Oriani – 24.37
10^th - Kylee Marshall – 24.40*
13^th - Moriah Johnson – 24.62*
19^th - Emma Potter – 24.78*

4x400m Relay
5^th - Jenna Oriani, Allison Valladay, Lindley Steele, Kenli Nettles – 3:52.27

*Indicates personal best

TF Opens Outdoor Season with Nine PRs at TCU Alumni Invite

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Mckenna Cinotte

Jiah Davenport

Malena Higgins

Moriah Johnson

Savannah Lake

Brenna Lehrke

Kylee Marshall

Malina Miller

Sydney Miller

Kenli Nettles

Jenna Oriani

Emma Potter

Lindley Steele

Brooklyn Taylor

Allison Valladay

Leila Williams-Molitor