Ball State University Athletics
Thursday, May 14
Muncie, Ind.
All Day
Ball State University
vs
2026 MAC Outdoor Championship
Photo by: Samantha (Blankenship) Ellis/Ball State University
Cardinals Use Strong Final-Day Performance to Claim Fourth-Place Finish at 2026 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships
May 16, 2026 | Track & Field
MUNCIE, Ind.— A delayed start to the third and final day of the 2026 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships wasn't enough to slow down Ball State senior Alana Springer.
The senior sprinter started her afternoon with a personal record in the 100 meters of 11.44 seconds. Her strong time earned her a second-place finish in the event, but the best was still yet to come. In the 200 meters, Springer ran another personal record of 23.41, which not only earned Springer second place in the event but also the second-fastest time in Ball State program history.
While Springer was busy setting records, several of her Cardinal teammates earned individual championship titles. Malina Miller led the charge in the high jump and earned her best-ever jump of 1.77 meters to claim first place. She wasn't the only Ball State athlete on the high jump podium. Miller was joined by freshman Nina Garner in fourth place and senior Bella Jackson in sixth place.
Laya'Lapri Ratney also claimed a MAC individual title in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.40 seconds, just 0.08 off of her personal best.
Other notable individual performances from day three included Sydney Miller's podium finish in the discus and 2026 MAC Heptathlon Champion Kenli Nettles's bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdles.
As a team, the Cardinals entered the final day with only 13 points, but those great finishes, plus a second-place result in the 4x100-meter relay and a fifth-place time in the 4x400-meter relay added up to a staggering 63 points on the final day alone, putting Ball State firmly into fourth place out of the 13 MAC teams competing.
Full results from the meet can be found below as potential NCAA qualifiers for regional and national championships are determined in the coming weeks.
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. — 1st, 5.84m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. — 6th, 5.41m
Javelin (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. — 2nd, 40.03m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. — 3rd, 37.89 PR
800m (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. — 2nd, 2:23.54
Kendra Keesling, Jr. — 8th, 2:38.56 PR
Shot Put
Malena Higgins, Sr. – 10th, 13.87m
Sydney Miller, Jr. – 16th, 13.22m
Long Jump
Kylee Marshall – 11th, 5.71m
Kenli Nettles, Sr. – 14th, 5.60m
100m Hurdles (Trials)
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. – 1st, 13.69
Lauren Graham, So. – 17th, 14.70
Lia Patterson, So. – 22nd, 15.05
400m (Trials)
Paige Kirtz, Jr. – 18th, 57.11
100m (Trials)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 4th, 11.66
Kylee Marshall, So. – 11th, 11.93 PR
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. – 22nd, 12.15
3000m Steeplechase
Emily Decker, Fr. – 10th, 10:42.44
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Discus
Sydney Miller, Jr. – 7th, 46.14m
Malena Higgins, Sr. – 11th, 42.01m
High Jump
Malina Miller, Jr. – 1st, 1.77m PR
Nina Garner, Fr. – 4th, 1.74m
Bella Jackson, Sr. – 6th, 1.66m
Lexi Hale, So. – 13th, 1.65m
Triple Jump
Anisa Barnett, Fr. – 16th, 11.81m
Brenna Lehrke, Sr. – 17th, 11.76m
4x100m Relay
Laya'Lapri Ratney, Kylee Marshall, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Alana Springer – 2nd, 45.57
1500m (Finals)
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. – 11th, 4:31.02
100m Hurdles (Finals)
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. – 1st, 13.40
100m (Finals)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 2nd, 11.44 PR
400m Hurdles (Finals)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. – 2nd, 59.39
Lia Patterson, So. – 9th, 1:01.23 PR
200m (Finals)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 2nd, 23.41 PR
5,000m
Emily Decker, Fr. – 17th, 17:08.87
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. – 24th, 17:37.74
4x400m Relay
Lia Patterson, Paige Kirtz, Allison Valladay, Alana Springer – 5th, 3:43.66 (Season Best)
The senior sprinter started her afternoon with a personal record in the 100 meters of 11.44 seconds. Her strong time earned her a second-place finish in the event, but the best was still yet to come. In the 200 meters, Springer ran another personal record of 23.41, which not only earned Springer second place in the event but also the second-fastest time in Ball State program history.
While Springer was busy setting records, several of her Cardinal teammates earned individual championship titles. Malina Miller led the charge in the high jump and earned her best-ever jump of 1.77 meters to claim first place. She wasn't the only Ball State athlete on the high jump podium. Miller was joined by freshman Nina Garner in fourth place and senior Bella Jackson in sixth place.
Laya'Lapri Ratney also claimed a MAC individual title in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.40 seconds, just 0.08 off of her personal best.
Other notable individual performances from day three included Sydney Miller's podium finish in the discus and 2026 MAC Heptathlon Champion Kenli Nettles's bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdles.
As a team, the Cardinals entered the final day with only 13 points, but those great finishes, plus a second-place result in the 4x100-meter relay and a fifth-place time in the 4x400-meter relay added up to a staggering 63 points on the final day alone, putting Ball State firmly into fourth place out of the 13 MAC teams competing.
Full results from the meet can be found below as potential NCAA qualifiers for regional and national championships are determined in the coming weeks.
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. — 1st, 5.84m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. — 6th, 5.41m
Javelin (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. — 2nd, 40.03m
Kendra Keesling, Jr. — 3rd, 37.89 PR
800m (Heptathlon)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. — 2nd, 2:23.54
Kendra Keesling, Jr. — 8th, 2:38.56 PR
Shot Put
Malena Higgins, Sr. – 10th, 13.87m
Sydney Miller, Jr. – 16th, 13.22m
Long Jump
Kylee Marshall – 11th, 5.71m
Kenli Nettles, Sr. – 14th, 5.60m
100m Hurdles (Trials)
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. – 1st, 13.69
Lauren Graham, So. – 17th, 14.70
Lia Patterson, So. – 22nd, 15.05
400m (Trials)
Paige Kirtz, Jr. – 18th, 57.11
100m (Trials)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 4th, 11.66
Kylee Marshall, So. – 11th, 11.93 PR
Amina Hadziahmetovic, Fr. – 22nd, 12.15
3000m Steeplechase
Emily Decker, Fr. – 10th, 10:42.44
SATURDAY, MAY 16
Discus
Sydney Miller, Jr. – 7th, 46.14m
Malena Higgins, Sr. – 11th, 42.01m
High Jump
Malina Miller, Jr. – 1st, 1.77m PR
Nina Garner, Fr. – 4th, 1.74m
Bella Jackson, Sr. – 6th, 1.66m
Lexi Hale, So. – 13th, 1.65m
Triple Jump
Anisa Barnett, Fr. – 16th, 11.81m
Brenna Lehrke, Sr. – 17th, 11.76m
4x100m Relay
Laya'Lapri Ratney, Kylee Marshall, Amina Hadziahmetovic, Alana Springer – 2nd, 45.57
1500m (Finals)
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. – 11th, 4:31.02
100m Hurdles (Finals)
Laya'Lapri Ratney, So. – 1st, 13.40
100m (Finals)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 2nd, 11.44 PR
400m Hurdles (Finals)
Kenli Nettles, Sr. – 2nd, 59.39
Lia Patterson, So. – 9th, 1:01.23 PR
200m (Finals)
Alana Springer, Sr. – 2nd, 23.41 PR
5,000m
Emily Decker, Fr. – 17th, 17:08.87
Kaitlyn Kauppila, Fr. – 24th, 17:37.74
4x400m Relay
Lia Patterson, Paige Kirtz, Allison Valladay, Alana Springer – 5th, 3:43.66 (Season Best)
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