Five members of the track and field team are headed to Marion, Ind., on March 24 to compete in the Indiana Wesleyan Polar Bear Invitational.
Assistant coach Stephen Krupa knows that the meet, beginning at 3 p.m., will be a short one.
"We'll get our events in, do our job, do the best we can and head home," Krupa said.
Ball State throwers going to the meet which include seniors Marie Lumpkin and Michaela Hull, along with sophomore Adrienne Mayfield.
Each of the three will be participating in the discus and hammer throw, as well as other events. Hull will take part in events like the javelin and shot put.
Lumpkin will be competing for the third time in her career at the IWU Polar Bear Invitational. In both 2012 and 2013, Lumpkin finished fourth in the hammer throw.
The other thrower competing in the meet will be freshman Regan Lewis, who will be participating in the javelin. Junior distance runner Jordan Timmons will also be at the event, running in the 800m.
Krupa explained that the team has gone to this meet in the past, and it is set up because Butler's Stan Lyons Invitation only had javelin and shot put available. Some of the athletes were not able to start their season with the rest of the team because the opening meet didn't have the hammer throw and the discus.
Ball State added the Polar Bear on its schedule last minute this season so the throwing athletes have somewhere to start their outdoor season prior to the Miami Invitational on April 2.
The forecast is calling for rain Thursday, but Lumpkin pointed out that having the throwing circle a little wet is actually an advantage. It works because some of the athletes, if they’re balanced enough, can spin faster and throw farther.