Ball State track and field compete at Penn and GINA relays

<p>The Ball State track and field hosts the only home indoor meet of the season in the Field Sports Buidling on Feb. 17, 2017. The Cardinals are competing in the Music City Challenge in Nashville Feb. 9 and 10. <strong>Kyle Crawford, DN File</strong></p>

The Ball State track and field hosts the only home indoor meet of the season in the Field Sports Buidling on Feb. 17, 2017. The Cardinals are competing in the Music City Challenge in Nashville Feb. 9 and 10. Kyle Crawford, DN File

Ball State track and field will split up for the final time this season. The team will travel to Penn State for the Penn Relays and Hillsdale College for the GINA Relays April 26-28.

Going to the Penn Relays will be the 4x1 relay team, 4x4 relay team, junior high jumper Regan Lewis and hurdlers junior Jazmin Smith and sophomore Jasmine Harris. The rest of the team will be going to the Gina Relays. 

Sophomore Maritza Rodriguez and freshman Cayla Eckenroth each ran career-bests last week at the Jesse Owens Track Classic. However, the team is striving to get better. Ball State assistant coach Alexus Jimson-Miller has been helping them stay sharp and making sure they leave it all on the track.

“I think this week we just have been focusing on the warm-up and being sharp in every event. Every rep matters,” Jimson-Miller said. “Every little thing we are doing, we are just trying to sharpen up so that when it comes time for competition we can just handle business.”

For the seniors, it can be difficult to stay focused heading into the last race of the regular season.

Senior Gabby Sims will be running the 400m at the GINA Relays. Sims ran a 59.16 in the 400m last weekend. She is confident she will do her best in the last regular season meet of her career.

“It is bittersweet," Sims said. "I’ve been doing this sport for nine years, so it is sad to think I won’t be on a track again. I’m hoping to race my best. I’ve had a constant kind of average season, so I’m  hoping to have a really good last race.”

Sims has been running for four years at Ball State and has seen multiple records broken under head coach Brian Etelman’s coaching staff. Sims believes that momentum will play a big factor not only this weekend, but for the conference championship as well.

“I think it gives us a lot of confidence knowing we have a talented team and especially from young [teammates] that were able to perform when they needed to,” Sims said. “I think that the freshmen can use that as motivation to perform this weekend and at conference.”

Ball State track and field has seen all kinds of weather, so it will be prepared for its last meet before conference.

“I think our kids are working hard and they’re prepared for anything," Jimson-Miller said. "I think if we step up to the line and we compete we can do really well. The weather hasn’t been great for us. We have really had everything out here with us this spring, so I think they will be prepared and it will be fine.”

After this weekend, the team will come together for the Mid-American Conference Championship meet from May 10-12.

Contact Olivia Adams with comments at oadams@bsu.edu or on Twitter @Olivia_Adams5

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