Track Cardinals Travel to Final Meets This Weekend Before Hosting MAC Championships

4x100 relay team at Jim Freeman/Clark Wood Invitational

Photo by: Brayden Minix/Ball State Athletics

Track Cardinals Travel to Final Meets This Weekend Before Hosting MAC Championships

May 01, 2026 | Track & Field

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Ball State's track team ventures to Columbus, Ohio, and Durham, North Carolina, this weekend, to take part in a pair of final tune-up meets prior to hosting the Mid-American Conference Championships at Briner Sports Complex in two weeks.

The Cardinals will take split squads to each meet, in an attempt to develop depth and consistency prior to the MAC Championships. At the Jesse Owens Classic, hosted by Ohio State, 27 athletes will take part in 14 events, conducted on Friday, May 1 and Saturday, May 2. A smaller contingent of nine athletes, competing in six events, will take part in the Duke Twilight on Sunday, May 3.

Ball State enters the week following record-breaking performances in Louisville last weekend. The Cardinals' 4x100-meter relay team broke the school record in that event, and Laya'Lapri Ratney clocked the second-fastest time in program history in the 100-meter hurdles. Ratney ran the opening leg of that 4x100 relay, followed by Kylee Marshall, Amina Hadziahmetovic and Alana Springer. All four of those athletes are currently entered to compete at both events this weekend.