Nettles Captures Ball State's Fifth Straight Heptathlon Title; Saturday Sprint Day Looms for Cardinals

ATHENS, Ohio -- Kenli Nettles led the seven-event heptathlon at the 2026 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships through the first five events, then lost the lead after six events despite a second-place finish in the javelin throw. In the 800 meters, the heptathlon's final event, Ball State's Nettles trailed nearly the entire race but took control on the final straightaway to capture not only the 800m but move back on top of the heptathlon's overall standings.

Nettles, in her first year with the Cardinals after transferring from Illinois, captured the MAC heptathlon title to keep alive a five-year streak of Cardinals' champions in the event. What's more, Ball State has captured either the heptathlon or indoor pentathlon over nine consecutive track seasons, since May 2021. Nettles' 5,655 points in the event were the second-highest total in the league's history, behind Jenelle Rogers' MAC-record 5,991 points last season. Rogers represented Ball State while winning the title in 2023 and 2024. Karlie Zumbro won the title for Ball State in 2021 and 2022.

Nettles' final sprint to glory helped shave more than three seconds off her previous career-best in the 800m, 2:21.46. Her 2:18.01 beat Buffalo's Isa van Puffelen (2:20.98) by two seconds, to collect a personal record in five of her seven events. She registered new PRs in three of four events on Friday, and in both the long jump and 800m Saturday.

She scored the Cardinals' first 10 points in team scoring with the heptathlon victory, and not long after, added another with an eighth-place finish in the overall long jump. Nettles' 6.01m leap during the hep competition was a new personal record and she added a jump of 5.85 meters in the overall.

While Nettles' heroics garnered the Ball State headlines on Day 2 on the Goldsberry Track at Ohio University, the Cardinals set themselves up for an active final day on Sunday. Ball State relay teams are seeded first and second in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays, respectively, and three Ball State runners qualified for finals races on Sunday -- Jenna Oriani and Emma Potter in the 400 meters, and Alana Springer in the 100 meters.

Ball State Individual Results at 2025 MAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships:
Friday
Combined Events
Heptathlon Long Jump
3rd - Kenli Nettles - 6.01m PR
7th - Kendra Keesling - 5.38m PR

Heptathlon Javelin
2nd - Kenli Nettles - 35.92
9th - Kendra Keesling - 24.33

Heptathlon 800m
1st - Kenli Nettles - 2:18.01 PR
9th - Kendra Keesling - 2:39.59 PR

Heptathlon Overall
1st - Kenli Nettles - 5,655 points PR
10th - Kendra Keesling - 4,154 points PR

Field Events
Shot Put
13th - Malena Higgins - 13.38m
15th - Sydney Miller - 13.21m
17th - Brooklyn Taylor - 12.67m

Long Jump
8th - Kenli Nettles - 5.85m
11th - Kylee Marshall - 5.76m
12th - Lyndley Steele - 5.74m PR

Track Events
400m Prelims
2nd - Jenna Oriani - 54.64 QUAL (1st in heat)
3rd - Emma Potter - 55.09 QUAL (2nd in heat)
12th - Allison Valaday - 57.40

100m Prelims
4th - Alana Springer - 11.62 QUAL (2nd in heat) PR
18th - Moriah Johnson - 12.01

800m Prelims
18th - Tori Jackson - 2:20.06

PR - Personal Record
QUAL - Qualified for Finals

Nettles Captures Ball State's Fifth Straight Heptathlon Title; Saturday Sprint Day Looms for Cardinals

Players Mentioned

Malena Higgins

Tori Jackson

Moriah Johnson

Kendra Keesling

Kylee Marshall

Sydney Miller

Kenli Nettles

Jenna Oriani

Emma Potter

Jenelle Rogers

Alana Springer

Brooklyn Taylor

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