INDIANAPOLIS – – For their work athletically and academically, five members of the Ball State track & field and cross country programs were named to the 2022-23 Academic All-District® Team as selected by College Sports Communicators.
Representing the Cardinals on the list were seniors Charity Griffith and Vivian Van Eck, junior Jenelle Rogers, along with sophomores Sarah Mahnensmith and Jenna Oriani.
Over the course of the 2022-23 campaign, the quintet helped guide Ball State to the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship, a runner-up finish at the MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, and a solid showing at the MAC Cross Country Championships.
Griffith, an exercise science major with a 3.559 grade point average, is a five-time NCAA All-American for the Cardinals, earning honors in the indoor high jump (2022 & 2023), indoor pentathlon (2022 & 2023), and outdoor high jump (2022). She will go for her sixth honor next week as she tied for fourth in the high jump at the 2023 NCAA East Preliminary Championships. The 2022 and 2023 MAC Indoor Championship Most Valuable Performer and Most Outstanding Field Performer, Griffith is also a four-time MAC high jump and two-time MAC pentathlon champion.
Van Eck, an exercise science major with a 3.828 GPA, was Ball State’s second-fastest runner at the 2022 MAC Cross Country Championships, placing 45th with a time of 22:14.5. She ran a career fast 10,000m of 39:43.94 to place 15th at the 2023 MAC Outdoor Championships, while also registering collegiate bests in the 5000m, 1500m, and 800m over the course of the 2023 outdoor season.
Rogers, an interior design major with a 3.957 GPA, was named the Most Valuable Performer and Most Outstanding Field Performer at the 2023 MAC Outdoor Championships after scoring 29 of the team’s 108 points in the meet. The 2023 MAC Outdoor heptathlon champion and long jump runner-up, she also placed fourth in shot put, sixth in high jump, and sixth in the 100m hurdles. Rogers, who will compete in the heptathlon at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, was also the 2023 MAC Indoor pentathlon runner-up.
Mahnensmith, a teaching major in exceptional needs: intense interventions, led Ball State to the finish line at the 2022 MAC Cross Country Championships, placing 29th with a collegiate best 6K time of 21:32.9. She also placed ninth in the 3,000m at the 2023 MAC Indoor Championships, while finishing 10th in the 1,500m at the 2023 MAC Outdoor Championships. Over the course of the track & field season she registered collegiate bests in the mile, 3000m, and 5,000m during the indoor campaign, along with the 800m and 1,500m outdoors.
Oriani, a business administration major with a 3.850 GPA, scored 12.5 points for the Cardinals at the 2023 MAC Outdoor Championships, including running anchor for the first place 4x100m relay. She also placed fourth in the 200m and sixth in the 100m at the outdoor championships. Oriani had a strong showing at the MAC Indoor Championships as well, placing fifth in the 200m and sixth in the 60m.
To be eligible for Academic All-District® honors, student-athletes must be a key member of the program, must participate in 50 percent of the institution’s competitions in either cross country, indoor track and field, or outdoor track and field, achieve sophomore standing at their current school, maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.50, and be nominated by her sports information director.
All five Ball State student-athletes will be eligible for voting for CSC Academic All-America® honors which will be announced on June 6.
