Photo by: Josh Brunette
Nettles Leads Heptathlon and Earns Top Prelim Time in 400m Hurdles On First Day of MAC Championships
May 15, 2025 | Track & Field
ATHENS, Ohio -- Kenli Nettles recorded personal records in three out of four heptathlon events on Day 1 of the 2025 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships, and she sits in first place in heptathlon standings heading into Friday's second day of competition on the campus of Ohio University.
She also finished first in preliminary competition for the 400 meter hurdles, winning her heat and leading all 22 athletes in the prelims. In a preliminary round for the 200 meters, Alana Springer finished second in her heat to qualify as one of eight finalists. Finals for the 400m hurdles and the 200m dash will both take place on Saturday afternoon.
Nettles, a transfer from Illinois, finished first in the heptathlon's 100-meter hurdles (14.02) and 200 meters (24.50) on Thursday, recording the best times of her career in both events. She finished second in the high jump (1.67m), then captured fourth place in the shot put (11.60m) with another career-best throw. She ended her day with the MAC's best preliminary time in the 400m hurdles (59.13).
She participates in the final three hep events to begin Friday's competition: long jump, javelin and the 800 meters, before engaging in overall long jump competition which is slated for late afternoon. Nettles is vying to continue a recent Ball State tradition, having won the MAC heptathlon title the past four years (Jenelle Rogers in 2023 and 2024; Karlie Zumbro in 2021 and 2022).
One of the Cardinals' more impressive performances on Thursday came in the javelin throw, where Maci Easton fired the spear nearly five feet further than her qualifying throw of 33.71m. She entered the competition seeded 13th and ultimately finished ninth with a distance of 38.29, on her first of six throws.
Day 1 action concluded late Thursday evening with the 10,000m run, with Ball State's Shelby Christman finishing 12th overall.
Ball State Individual Results at 2025 MAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
Thursday
Combined Events
Heptathlon 100m Hurdles
1st - Kenli Nettles - 14.02 PR
9th - Kendra Keesling - 15.33 PR
Heptathlon High Jump
2nd - Kenli Nettles - 1.67m
10th - Kendra Keesling - 1.37m
Heptathlon Shot Put
4th - Kenli Nettles - 11.60m PR
9th - Kendra Keesling - 9.58m
Heptathlon 200m
1st - Kenli Nettles - 24.50 PR
6th - Kendra Keesling - 26.44 PR
Field Events
Hammer
16th - Malena Higgins - 44.46m PR
17th - Brooklyn Taylor - 43.97m
Javelin
9th - Maci Easton - 38.29Â PR
17th - Kendra Keesling - 22.89
Track Events
400m Hurdles Prelims
1st - Kenli Nettles - 59.13 QUAL (1st in heat)
9th - Lindley Steele - 1:01.86
20th - Leila Williams-Molitor - 1:07.07
200m Prelims
9th - Alana Springer - 23.98 QUAL (2nd in heat)
12th - Jenna Oriani - 24.10
18th -Â Moriah Johnson - 24.73
10,000m
12th - Shelby Christman - 37:15.07
PR - Personal Record
QUAL - Qualified for Finals
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She also finished first in preliminary competition for the 400 meter hurdles, winning her heat and leading all 22 athletes in the prelims. In a preliminary round for the 200 meters, Alana Springer finished second in her heat to qualify as one of eight finalists. Finals for the 400m hurdles and the 200m dash will both take place on Saturday afternoon.
Nettles, a transfer from Illinois, finished first in the heptathlon's 100-meter hurdles (14.02) and 200 meters (24.50) on Thursday, recording the best times of her career in both events. She finished second in the high jump (1.67m), then captured fourth place in the shot put (11.60m) with another career-best throw. She ended her day with the MAC's best preliminary time in the 400m hurdles (59.13).
She participates in the final three hep events to begin Friday's competition: long jump, javelin and the 800 meters, before engaging in overall long jump competition which is slated for late afternoon. Nettles is vying to continue a recent Ball State tradition, having won the MAC heptathlon title the past four years (Jenelle Rogers in 2023 and 2024; Karlie Zumbro in 2021 and 2022).
One of the Cardinals' more impressive performances on Thursday came in the javelin throw, where Maci Easton fired the spear nearly five feet further than her qualifying throw of 33.71m. She entered the competition seeded 13th and ultimately finished ninth with a distance of 38.29, on her first of six throws.
Day 1 action concluded late Thursday evening with the 10,000m run, with Ball State's Shelby Christman finishing 12th overall.
Ball State Individual Results at 2025 MAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
Thursday
Combined Events
Heptathlon 100m Hurdles
1st - Kenli Nettles - 14.02 PR
9th - Kendra Keesling - 15.33 PR
Heptathlon High Jump
2nd - Kenli Nettles - 1.67m
10th - Kendra Keesling - 1.37m
Heptathlon Shot Put
4th - Kenli Nettles - 11.60m PR
9th - Kendra Keesling - 9.58m
Heptathlon 200m
1st - Kenli Nettles - 24.50 PR
6th - Kendra Keesling - 26.44 PR
Field Events
Hammer
16th - Malena Higgins - 44.46m PR
17th - Brooklyn Taylor - 43.97m
Javelin
9th - Maci Easton - 38.29Â PR
17th - Kendra Keesling - 22.89
Track Events
400m Hurdles Prelims
1st - Kenli Nettles - 59.13 QUAL (1st in heat)
9th - Lindley Steele - 1:01.86
20th - Leila Williams-Molitor - 1:07.07
200m Prelims
9th - Alana Springer - 23.98 QUAL (2nd in heat)
12th - Jenna Oriani - 24.10
18th -Â Moriah Johnson - 24.73
10,000m
12th - Shelby Christman - 37:15.07
PR - Personal Record
QUAL - Qualified for Finals
Â
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Jumps
/ Track & Field
Multis
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Jumps/Multis
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Sprints
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