Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Josh Brunette
Garner and Miller Stage High Jump Showdown in We Fly Challenge Finals
April 10, 2026 | Track & Field
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Mid-American Conference outdoor track championships convene at the Briner Sports Complex in May. Friday, spectators got a possible preview of the MAC high jump finals, with Ball State's Nina Garner and Malina Miller dueling one another for the title.
Highlighting Day 1Â of the We Fly Challenge, Garner and Miller both cleared the high jump bar at 1.76 meters to record the MAC's best height this year and a top-30 height nationally. Garner, a freshman, won first place ahead of her sophomore teammate, only by virtue of fewer misses in their four-jump series. Taking third place was Miami's Ella Garvin who cleared the bar at 1.70m to set the stage for a three-way showdown under overcast skies and intermittent rain.
When the bar was raised, all three finalists missed on their first attempt at 1.73m, but Miller took a lead in the competition by clearing the bar on her second, and setting a new season-high on the jump. Garner and Garvin both advanced on their third try, and Garner took command by clearing the 1.76 height on her first try at the new height. It matched her personal record overall, and was her best of the Cardinals' outdoor season. Miller cleared the bar on her third try for her own personal best, and the Cardinals moved to the 1.79m height together, when Garvin missed what would have been her career-best.
Garner and Miller both missed on three tries at 1.79m which would have been the fourth-best height in program history.
In Friday's other field events, junior Sydney Miller set personal records in each of her first three throws between the hammer and discus, and her best discus throw was the third-best in the MAC this season. It also ranks third in Ball State track history.
Sydney Miller fouled in her first hammer attempt, then had career-long throws in her next two tries, to reach the finals. She scratched on all three finals tries, but her 46.10-meter distance finished eighth, ahead of teammate Malena Higgins. In the late-afternoon discus, she scratched on her first two attempts, but reached the finals with a third throw of 47.16 that was the longest of her career and moved her into the Ball State record book. Her only throw of the day, in either event, that wasn't a personal record was a 43-meter throw in her first discus attempt of the finals. She finished in third place in the discus, with Higgins in eighth.
We Fly Challenge action continues Saturday at 8 a.m. with the women's javelin event. Ball State's annual senior recognition ceremony takes place at 11:30 a.m., and a Youth Fun Run will be conducted at 3:30 p.m.
Ball State Results at the We Fly Challenge
Friday
Hammer Throw
8th, Sydney Miller, Jr. -- 46.10m PR
9th, Malena Higgins, Sr. -- 44.41m
23rd, Ayla Rice, Fr. -- 38.86m
Discus
3rd, Sydney Miller, Jr. -- 47.16 PR (third in Ball State history)
8th, Malena Higgins, Sr. -- 40.59
21st, Ayla Rice, Fr. -- 35.79
High Jump
1st, Nina Garner, Fr. -- 1.76m PR (best in MAC this season)
2nd, Malina Miller, Jr. -- 1.76m PR (best in MAC this season)
5th, Lexi Hale, So. -- 1.65m
6th, Bella Jackson, Sr. -- 1.65
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Highlighting Day 1Â of the We Fly Challenge, Garner and Miller both cleared the high jump bar at 1.76 meters to record the MAC's best height this year and a top-30 height nationally. Garner, a freshman, won first place ahead of her sophomore teammate, only by virtue of fewer misses in their four-jump series. Taking third place was Miami's Ella Garvin who cleared the bar at 1.70m to set the stage for a three-way showdown under overcast skies and intermittent rain.
When the bar was raised, all three finalists missed on their first attempt at 1.73m, but Miller took a lead in the competition by clearing the bar on her second, and setting a new season-high on the jump. Garner and Garvin both advanced on their third try, and Garner took command by clearing the 1.76 height on her first try at the new height. It matched her personal record overall, and was her best of the Cardinals' outdoor season. Miller cleared the bar on her third try for her own personal best, and the Cardinals moved to the 1.79m height together, when Garvin missed what would have been her career-best.
Garner and Miller both missed on three tries at 1.79m which would have been the fourth-best height in program history.
In Friday's other field events, junior Sydney Miller set personal records in each of her first three throws between the hammer and discus, and her best discus throw was the third-best in the MAC this season. It also ranks third in Ball State track history.
Sydney Miller fouled in her first hammer attempt, then had career-long throws in her next two tries, to reach the finals. She scratched on all three finals tries, but her 46.10-meter distance finished eighth, ahead of teammate Malena Higgins. In the late-afternoon discus, she scratched on her first two attempts, but reached the finals with a third throw of 47.16 that was the longest of her career and moved her into the Ball State record book. Her only throw of the day, in either event, that wasn't a personal record was a 43-meter throw in her first discus attempt of the finals. She finished in third place in the discus, with Higgins in eighth.
We Fly Challenge action continues Saturday at 8 a.m. with the women's javelin event. Ball State's annual senior recognition ceremony takes place at 11:30 a.m., and a Youth Fun Run will be conducted at 3:30 p.m.
Ball State Results at the We Fly Challenge
Friday
Hammer Throw
8th, Sydney Miller, Jr. -- 46.10m PR
9th, Malena Higgins, Sr. -- 44.41m
23rd, Ayla Rice, Fr. -- 38.86m
Discus
3rd, Sydney Miller, Jr. -- 47.16 PR (third in Ball State history)
8th, Malena Higgins, Sr. -- 40.59
21st, Ayla Rice, Fr. -- 35.79
High Jump
1st, Nina Garner, Fr. -- 1.76m PR (best in MAC this season)
2nd, Malina Miller, Jr. -- 1.76m PR (best in MAC this season)
5th, Lexi Hale, So. -- 1.65m
6th, Bella Jackson, Sr. -- 1.65
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Players Mentioned
Jumps
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Jumps
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Throws
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Hurdles
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Jumps
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