Cardinals Venture to Central Michigan for MAC Indoor Championships

Friday, February 27

Mount Pleasant, MI

All Day

Ball State University

Mid-American Conference

Photo by: Brayden Minix/Ball State Athletics

Cardinals Venture to Central Michigan for MAC Indoor Championships

February 25, 2026 | Track & Field

Schedule of Events Live Stats Watch Live

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Ball State caps the regular season portion of its indoor track schedule this week while participating in the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track Championships, conducted at the Indoor Athletic Complex on the campus of Central Michigan University. The Cardinals finished fourth in the league's indoor meet last season, with All-American Jenelle Rogers capturing medalist honors in the pentathlon.

This year, Ball State will challenge for medals in the 60 meters and 60-meter hurdles, with Alana Springer and Laya'Lapri Ratney among the league's top contenders. Another top sprinter and long jumper for Ball State is Kylee Marshall. Ratney owns the MAC's second-best time in the 60m hurdles this season, with a sprint of 8.44 seconds at the Heartland Invitational just two weeks ago.

In the pentathlon, 2025 NCAA Outdoor Championships heptathlon qualifier Kenli Nettles will contend for Ball State points. Top field competitors include Malena Higgins and Sydney Miller, and a Cardinals' high jump unit that, together, ranks 10th in the country -- Nina Garner, Malina Miller, Bella Jackson and Lexi Hale. Garner and Miller enter the competition tied with the second-best jump in the MAC this season, at 1.76m.

Top distance runners include Sarah Mahnensmith and freshman Kaitlyn Kauppila and Emily Decker.

Competition begins Friday morning with the pentathlon, various field events, and preliminary trial heats for sprint events. The slate continues Saturday with field events and racing finals.

FRIDAY EVENTS
Pentathlon 60m Hurdles
Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 8.63
Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 9.29

Weight Throw
Malena Higgins, Sr. -- 16.82m
Brooklyn Taylor, Jr. -- 16.33m
Syndey Miller, Jr. -- 14.31m

Pentathlon High Jump
Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 1.63m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 1.44m

Pentathlon Shot Put
Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 12.11m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 10.30m

Pentathlon Long Jump
Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 6.01m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 5.54m

Pentathlon 800m
Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 2:18.01
Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 2:39.59

Mile Run - Prelims
Sarah Mahnensmith, Sr. -- 4:51.54
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. -- 4:56.64

60m Hurdles - Prelims
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. -- 8.44
Lia Patterson, Fr. -- 8.87
Lauren Grahan, Jr. -- 9.08

400m Dash - Prelims
Paige Kirtz, Jr. -- 56.29
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. -- 57.19

60m Dash - Prelims
Alana Springer, Sr. - 7.45
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. -- 7.57
Kylee Marshall, So. -- 7.63

200m Dash - Prelims
Alana Springer, Sr. -- 24.22
Kylee Marshall, So. -- 24.80

Long Jump
Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 5.90m
Kylee Marshall, So. -- 5.74m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 5.54m

Distance Medley Relay
Emily Decker, Abby Brennan, Kaityln Kauppila, Sarah Mahnensmith

SATURDAY EVENTS
Shot Put
Malena Higgins, Sr. -- 13.78m
Sydney Miller, Jr. -- 13.54m

High Jump
Nina Garner, Fr. -- 1.76m
Malina Miller, Jr. -- 1.76m
Bella Jackson, Sr. -- 1.75m
Lexi Hale, So. -- 1.70m

Triple Jump
Anisa Barnett, Fr. -- 11.77m
Brenna Lehrke, Sr. -- 11.75m

Mile Run - Finals

60m Hurdles - Finals

400m Dash - Finals

60m Dash - Finals

200m Dash - Finals

3000m Run
Emily Decker, Fr. -- 9:56.74
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. -- 9:52.55

4x400m Relay
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Paige Kirtz, Abby Brennan, Alana Springer