AUSTIN, Texas – – Ball State University junior Jenelle Rogers recorded a shot put throw of 15.55 meters on Friday evening to set a personal best and break a school record, lifting her into first place through three heptathlon events in the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The fourth heptathlon event of Day 1, the 200 meters, is scheduled to begin at 9:43 p.m. Central Time.
Appearing in her first NCAA Championships, Rogers opened the competition with a season-best time of 13.55 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing ninth out of the event’s 24 competitors. In her second event, Rogers cleared 1.72 meters in the high jump to finish fifth in the event and rise to fifth place overall.
In the heptathlon shot put, the third of seven events in the heptathlon, her third throw eclipsed the Cardinals’ program record of 14.77 meters set by Kelsey Walters in 2018. She outdistanced a throw of 15.19 by Kansas State’s Urte Bacianskaite to win the shot put competition and rise into first place in the overall standings.
Rogers’ 2,820 overall heptathlon points lead Vanderbilt senior Beatrice Juskeviciute (2,685) in second place. Notre Dame sophomore Jadin O’Brien (2,650) and Texas junior Kristine Blazevica (2,650) are tied for third place.
Following the heptathlon 200 meters late this evening, heptathlon competitors will close the event on Saturday with the long jump, javelin and 800 meters.
Meanwhile, Ball State’s Charity Griffith awaits her return to the national championship stage in the women’s high jump on Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. Griffith finished fifth in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March, as well as last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championships.
