March 7 – March 14
Alec Runyan / Ball State Sports Link
Ally Becki – Basketball
The Ball State women’s basketball team made an impressive run in last week’s MAC Tournament. The Cardinals went 2-1 on the week, knocking off Northern Illinois and the top-seeded Toledo Rockets in the first two rounds on their way to earning themselves a chance to play in the championship game.
Despite the Cardinals coming up short to Buffalo by a final score 79-75, freshman star Ally Becki had one of her most complete games of the season. Becki scored 20 points, her third 20+ point game of the year, as well as leading the team with nine rebounds and seven assists.
Becki led the Cardinals throughout the tournament averaging 15.7 points, 5 assists, and 6.7 rebounds per contest as well as being named to the All-MAC Tournament Team.
Although the Cardinals didn’t come away with the MAC Championship, they still earned the opportunity to compete in the Women’s NIT Tournament. Ball State will play in the first round this Wednesday at Marquette tipping off at 8 pm ET.
McKayla Timmons – Softball
Ball State softball had a busy week playing in five games in five days last week on its trip out west to Arizona. The Cardinals began their week playing against Grand Canyon University before playing four games in the GCU/ Arizona State Sun Devil Classic.
Sophomore McKayla Timmons led the Cardinals, driving in seven runs on six hits during the Cardinals four games over the weekend. In Ball State’s opening matchup with New Mexico State, Timmons went 2-for-2 at the plate while racking up a career-high four RBIs, three of which came from a home run.
Through the Cardinals first 19 games, Timmons is currently second on the team in homeruns (3) and RBIs (14), while leading the team with five doubles.
The Cardinals return to action this Friday in Colombia, Missouri for the Mizzou Classic where they’ll play five games against three different opponents.
Charity Griffith – Track & Field
Junior Charity Griffith competed at the NCAA Track and Field Indoor Championships last weekend and earned All-American honors in multiple events.
Griffith finished in 15th place in the high jump competition and 16th in the pentathlon earning herself Second Team All-American in both events. She became just the second Cardinal in school history to earn multi-event All-American honors in the same season and the first since 2003.
On top of the All-American honors, Griffith also came away with two school records this season as well as being named the MAC Indoor Most Outstanding Field Performer at the MAC Indoor Championships two weeks ago.
Ball State begins its outdoor season this Friday, March 18 at Miami University (Ohio) for the Blizzard Buster.
Mariya Polishchuk – Tennis
The Ball State women’s tennis team had a successful spring break trip to California, going 2-0 on the week. The Cardinals week began with a very tight 4-3 victory over Azusa Pacific University and ended with a 6-1 rout over UC San Diego.
Sophomore Mariya Polishchuk won both of her singles matches (6-4, 6-2 and 6-1, 6-1) and improved her singles record to 9-0 on the year. The standout from Moscow, Russia has only dropped one set on the year, dating all the way back to February 11 against Louisville’s Chelsea Sawyer.
Polischuk and doubles partner Jessica Braun also came away with a very important doubles victory over Azusa Pacific where Polischuk has a record of 9-2.
The Cardinals (9-2) now turn their focus to MACtion as Ball State hosts Western Michigan this Sunday, March 20.
