A pair of feet began moving forward, taking several steps before leaping into the air.
This time, Ball State’s Mindy Marx is jumping in front of a bar, not a volleyball net.
The former middle blocker for the Cardinals women’s volleyball team made her name by roaming the middle of the court at Worthen Arena, jumping high to reject opposing attacks before throwing down ones of her own.
Once the fall season ended her senior year, Marx found herself bored with an abundance of free time. She couldn’t stay away from athletics, so she joined the track and field team as a high jumper.
She thought about making the jump throughout her college career — she said she was a decent high jumper at Grand Haven High School — but she hadn’t followed through because of the potential health risks.
“I didn’t think that was something Steve [Shondell] would want me to do because of the injury risk,” Marx said. “It could have been really bad if something had happened to me.”
Wanting guidance, Marx found herself in her former coach’s office. Shondell, head coach of the women’s volleyball team, encouraged her to pursue track and field since her volleyball career had finished.
Ball State track and field head coach Randy Heisler ran into Shondell after a coaches meeting less than a month ago. Shondell told him that Marx wanted to compete, and Heisler was willing to listen.
The three communicated over email and within two days, Marx was on the track and field roster.
“She came out for her first day of practice and I said, ‘Whoa, this girl can jump,’” Heisler said.
When Rebecca Lomax tore her anterior cruciate ligament, it gave Marx a chance to fill in.
But Heisler didn’t want Marx to face injury, as well.
“This girl is a little beat up,” Heisler said. ”She’s got tendinitis issues, and it can’t be about cramming and practicing all the time.”
Now a two-sport athlete, Marx has to take care of her body differently than when she played volleyball. After three seasons of sending attacks over the net, Marx has a few reoccurring ailments.
Heisler said he’s made a living out of finding fifth-year softball and volleyball players who missed athletics and persuading them to join his program.
He said the number of two-sport athletes at Ball State is less than at other universities, making Marx stand out.
“The tough thing for some kids is transitioning from high school to college,” Heisler said. “They were the best at their school and community, but now at this level, everybody was the best.”
Friday evening, Marx was the best high jumper at the Ball State Quad.
With her former volleyball teammates cheering in attendance, she cleared a 1.70 meter bar, enough to place first in the event just two weeks after joining the team.
“I always missed [jumping], and it was constantly on my mind,” Marx said. “But I think volleyball and basketball have helped me increase my vertical.”
Heisler wasn’t shy about letting Shondell know how happy he was to have Marx on his team.
“Bring us any more you’ve got,” he said.
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