All of these women had incredible achievements. From being named Ball State’s female athlete of the decade by the Mid-American Conference (MAC) to being Ball State’s first female MAC individual champion to receiving a silver medal at the 1983 Olympic Festival.
The Cardinals were unable to avenge their home loss to Ohio State in the 2023 MIVA Tournament final, dropping a three-set battle that saw the Buckeyes impose their offensive will.
Even in the loss, head coach Brady Sallee was thankful for the crowd that came to support the Cardinals. Regardless of the team feeling like “crud,” Sallee said it is easy to find gratitude in the community who supported Ball State all season long.
The Cardinals suffered a 77-59 loss to the Belmont Bruins (26-8) in the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT). Here are three takeaways from the season finale.
After displaying their 2nd-ranked MAC (Mid-American Conference) offense early inside Bulldog Field, the Cardinals left with a 7-6 victory over Butler.
The Ball State women's basketball 2024 regular season is one filled with success. Regardless of being top-50 in multiple categories as a team in that nation, they are left out of the NCAA Tournament due to NET ranking. A 28-5 team should be in the NCAA Tournament.
Three games later, Ball State delivered three consecutive poor pitching performances that led to three successive Bowling Green victories. The Cardinals were unable to capitalize against the Falcons, but Ball State’s pitchers can't be blamed solely for the losses, with the Cardinals’ fielders accumulating a total of 10 fielding errors throughout the three-game set.
Ball State led the meet for the first two rotations, but Eastern Michigan came back during the third event, leaving a .050 point difference between the teams’ scores. The Ball State gymnasts brought their ‘A’ game on the floor and ended the meet 196.400-195.150, bringing them 14-4 overall.
Ball State men’s volleyball opened its current win streak with a five-set victory against Lindenwood in early February. The Cardinals extended their spurt with the same matchup that started it, downing the Lions for an eighth-straight win.
Ball State collected three medals during three days of competition in Ocala, Florida. Meanwhile, for diving, sophomore Porter Brovont traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, to participate in the one-meter and three-meter events in the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships.
Wapahani senior Isaac Andrews led the Raiders with 29 points as the black and red defeated Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian win to the program's semistate championship.
This will likely be my last week ever covering this program, but no matter where I am, this group will always have my support due to a deep personal connection that spans across professional boundaries.
Associate sports editor Zach Carter attended the Mid-American Conference commissioner's press conference and gave his thoughts about what Jon Steinbrecher said.
“They were better than we were today,” Richards said. “I think that, on a given day, we're certainly capable of beating them, but couldn't come through in the clutch.”
Kent State held a commanding 14-5 lead after the first quarter, a lead Ball State could not cut into for the rest of the game. As the final buzzer rang, Kent State (20-10) defeated Ball State (28-5) 65-50.
Ball State women's basketball was plagued by struggles rebounding and finding quality inside shots in a 65-50 MAC Tournament semifinal loss to Kent State. This team, which has accomplished so much this season, will have to regroup in a week’s time and likely play in a postseason tournament that isn’t the NCAA tournament.
Whether it's the trio of Sydney Bolden, Hailey Smith and Olivia Smith or assistant athletic trainer Brad Bunten, Ball State women's basketball can always count on energy from its bench. Head coach Brady Sallee said this enthusiasm fosters wins, in which the Cardinals have 28.
No. 13 Ball State avenged its season-ending loss by defeating No. 8 Ohio State in Columbus Thursday night.
Ball State men’s basketball failed to reach the MAC Tournament for the first time since its inception. The Cardinals finished ninth place in the Mid-American Conference with a below .500 record.
