Two Events, Two Top 2's for Ratney as Cardinals Set Program Record in 4x100 Relay

Friday, April 24

Louisville, KY

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Ball State University

Jim Freeman/Clark Wood Invitational

Photo by: Brayden Minix/Ball State Athletics

Two Events, Two Top 2's for Ratney as Cardinals Set Program Record in 4x100 Relay

April 25, 2026 | Track & Field

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- In a fast race with three finishers all landing with top-50 times in Division I this season, Ball State's Laya'Lapri Ratney finished second in the 100-meter hurdles with a personal record time of 13.32 seconds that also was the second-fastest in Ball State history. It was a fast start for the Cardinals on their final day of competition at the Jim Freeman/Clark Wood Invitational.

Two hours later, Ratney ran the first leg on the Cardinals' 4x100-meter relay team to lead off a record-breaking performance for Ball State. Ratney, Kylee Marshall, Amina Hadziahmetovic and Alana Springer finished the 400-meter race in 44.72 seconds -- the fastest in program history which is the second-fastest in the Mid-American Conference this year. Springer crossed the finish line just ahead of Cincinnati's Macaela Walker, who had outpaced Ratney by just 0.11 seconds in the 100m hurdles. The Cardinals' 4x100m relay team beat a mark of 44.85, set in 2021. It also was another top-50 performance among Division I competitors.

Ratney's pair of record races were personal bests for her in each event, but they weren't the Cardinals' first PR of the day. Ball State got its track schedule underway Saturday with a 4:31.07 clocking in the 1500 meters by Kaitlyn Kauppila, which was good for a fourth-place finish and her own PR. Senior Maci Hoskins clocked 4.52.11 in another heat of the 1500m, for a personal record of her own. Ratney's 100m hurdles event was the next event on the track, and the 4x100 relay was the very next women's event on the track, as Ball State began the day with four PRs among their first three track events.

Later in the day, in the 100 meters, Springer, Hadziahmetovic and Marshall finished 6th, 16th and 22nd among 74 entries in the meet's fastest sprint race. Springer's 11.64-second time was her fastest of the season, and Hadziahmetovic set a personal best of 11.85. It was her second straight meet with a PR in the 100 meters. She and Springer both boast top-12 times in the MAC this season.

Ball State ended the day with its 4x400-meter relay setting its best time of the season - 3:46.42.

The Cardinals compete next week at the Jesse Owens Classic, hosted by Ohio State, in Columbus, Ohio.

Jim Freeman/Clark Wood Invitational
THURSDAY EVENTS
Heptathlon 100m Hurdles
2nd, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 13.81
13th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 15.77

Heptathlon High Jump
4th, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 1.63m
11th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 1.48m

Heptathlon Shot Put
3rd, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 11.89m
8th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 10.08m

Heptathlon 200m Dash
4th, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 24.70
12th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 26.72

FRIDAY EVENTS
Javelin Throw
9th, Maci Easton, Sr. -- 32.89m

Heptathlon Long Jump
2nd, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 6.02m
6th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 5.55m

Heptathlon Javelin
7th, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 33.00m
11th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 23.70m

800m Run
11th, Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. -- 2:15.44
44th, Leila Williams-Molitor, Sr. -- 2:26.51

Heptathlon 800m Run
8th, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 2:32.61
10th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 2:51.47

200m Run
7th, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. -- 23.82
18th, Alana Springer, Sr. -- 24.11
31st, Trinity Bibbs, Fr. -- 24.48

400m Hurdles
21st, Lily Eagleston, Fr. -- 1:04.04
27th, Lindley Steele, Sr. -- 1:04.74

5000m Run
15th, Sadey Seyferth, Fr. -- 18:44.12 PR

Overall Heptathlon
4th, Kenli Nettles, Sr. -- 5,396 points
9th, Kendra Keesling, Jr. -- 4,133 points

SATURDAY EVENTS
1500m Run
4th, Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. -- 4:31.07 PR
38th, Maci Hoskins, Jr. -- 4:52.11 PR

100m Hurdles
2nd, Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. -- 13.32 PR (second in program history; best in the MAC this season)
38th, Lauren Graham, Jr. -- 14.78

High Jump
4th, Malina Miller, Jr. -- 1.72m
5th, Nina Garner, Fr. -- 1.72m
11th, Bella Jackson, Sr. -- 1.63m

4x100m Relay
1st, Laya'Lapri Ratney, Kylee Marshall, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Alana Springer -- 44.72 ** PROGRAM RECORD **

Triple Jump
15th, Anisa Barnett, Fr. -- 11.76m
22ne, Brenna Lehrke, Sr. -- 11.48m

400m Run
18th, Paige Kirtz, Jr. -- 56.20
46th, Allison Valladay, Jr. -- 59.01
55th, Trinity Bibbs, Fr. -- 24.48

100m Dash
6th, Alana Springer, Sr. -- 11.64
16th, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. -- 11.85 PR
22nd, Kylee Marshall, So. -- 11.94

4x400m Relay
8th, Alana Springer, Paige Kirtz, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Lily Eagleston -- 3:46.42