Record-Setting First Day Has Nettles Leading Heptathlon at 2026 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Kenli Nettles, 2026 MAC Outdoor Championships

Photo by: Samantha (Blankenship) Ellis/Ball State University

Record-Setting First Day Has Nettles Leading Heptathlon at 2026 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships

May 14, 2026 | Track & Field

Live Results MAC Championship Central ESPN+ Streaming Links

MUNCIE, Ind.— Freshman Kaitlyn Kauppila and senior Sarah Mahnensmith posted top-five times in program history as they capped a record-breaking start to the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship for the Ball State Cardinals.

Kauppila's time of 4:26.04 ranks second all-time for the Cardinals, and Mahnensmith's 4:27.57 ranks fourth.

Senior Kenli Nettles also used a strong day one performance—aided by a personal record in the shot put of 12.47 meters and another PR in the 200-meter dash of 24.43 seconds—to jump out to a 200 point lead in her MAC heptathlon title defense. Alongside her was junior Kendra Keesling, who set PRs in three of her four events in the heptathlon today to continue the Cardinals' quick start.

Nettles qualified for the 400-meter hurdles finals on Saturday, too, and she'll be joined by sophomore teammate Lia Patterson, whose personal record of 1:00.57 was fourth fastest in all of the preliminary heats. The Cardinals' only scoring of the day came from distance specialist Carly Spletzer in the 10,000-meter run, the final event of the day. Spletzer finished seventh out of 26 racers.

Full results from today's events can be found below along with the remaining schedule for the rest of the weekend. Action resumes tomorrow with the men's hammer throw at 10 a.m.

THURSDAY, MAY 14
100m Hurdles (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. - 5th, 14.22
Kendra Keesling, Jr. - 10th, 14.95 PR

High Jump (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. - 2nd, 1.67m
Kendra Keesling Jr. - 10th, 1.52m

Shot Put (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. - 2nd, 12.47m PR
Kendra Keesling, Jr. - 8th, 10.35m PR

200m Dash (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. - 1st, 24.43 PR
Kendra Keesling, Jr. - 7th, 26.29 PR

Hammer Throw
Sydney Miller, Jr. – 24th, 43.45m
Malena Higgins, Sr. – 13th, 49.54m

Javelin
Kenli Nettles, Sr. – 12th, 38.43m
Maci Easton, Sr. – 13th, 37.81m

1500m (Trials)
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. – 4th, 4:26.04 PR
Sarah Mahnensmith, Sr. – 8th, 4:27.57 PR

400m Hurdles (Trials)
Lia Patterson, So. – 4th, 1:00.57 PR
Kenli Nettles, Sr. – 8th, 1:01.22
Lily Eagleston, Fr. – 16th, 1:02.63
Lindley Steele, Sr. – 21st, 1:05.19

200m (Trials)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 2nd, 23.71
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. – 17th, 24.64
Trinity Bibbs, Fr. – 12th, 24.42

10,000m
Carly Spletzer, Sr. – 7th, 34:50.62

FRIDAY, MAY 15
Long Jump (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr.
Kendra Keesling, Jr.

Javelin (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr.
Kendra Keesling, Jr.

800m (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr.
Kendra Keesling, Jr.

Shot Put
Malena Higgins, Sr. – 14.48m
Sydney Miller, Jr. – 13.74m

Long Jump
Kenli Nettles, Sr. – 6.02m
Kylee Marshall – 5.75m

100m Hurdles (Trials)
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. – 13.32
Lauren Graham, So. – 14.31
Lia Patterson, So. – 14.63

400m (Trials)
Paige Kirtz, Jr. – 55.98

100m (Trials)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 11.64
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. – 11.85
Kylee Marshall, So. – 11.94

3000m Steeplechase
Emily Decker, Fr. – 10:39.69

SATURDAY, MAY 16
Discus
Sydney Miller, Jr. – 47.16m
Malena Higgins, Sr. – 42.27m

High Jump
Malina Miller, Jr. – 1.76m
Nina Garner, Fr. – 1.76m
Bella Jackson, Sr. – 1.70m
Lexi Hale, So. – 1.65m

Triple Jump
Anisa Barnett, Fr. – 11.89m
Brenna Lehrke, Sr. – 11.48m

4x100m Relay
Laya'Lapri Ratney, Kylee Marshall, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Alana Springer – 44.72

1500m (Finals)
Sarah Mahnensmith, Sr. –
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. –

100m Hurdles (Finals)
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. –
Lauren Graham, So. –
Lia Patterson, So. –

400m (Finals)
Paige Kirtz, Jr. –

100m (Finals)
Alana Springer, Sr. –
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. –
Kylee Marshall, So. –

400m Hurdles (Finals)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. –
Lia Patterson, So. –
Lily Eagleston, Fr. –

200m (Finals)
Alana Springer, Sr. –
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. –
Trinity Bibbs, Fr. –

5,000m
Carly Spletzer, Sr. – 16:27.32
Emily Decker, Fr. – 17:05.51
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. – 17:06.53

4x400m Relay
Lia Patterson, Paige Kirtz, Allison Valladay, Alana Springer – 3:46.42