Nettles Posts Career-Best Time at NCAA East Region Track Championships

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Kenli Nettles ran a personal-best time of 58.95 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles Thursday evening at the NCAA East Region First Round, conducted at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium.

Nettles finished fifth in her eight-lane heat and shaved 17 spots off her pre-race ranking. She finished in 31st place overall, below the cut for 24 competitors to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships two weeks from now in Eugene, Oregon.

Nettles, a transfer from Illinois who finished second in the Mid-American Conference championships in the 400m hurdles, also was second among MAC competitors in Thursday's first-round race. Mabinty Kebe (58.22) of Western Michigan finished 23rd overall. Michelle Smith of Georgia (55.85) won Nettles' heat on Thursday with the second-fastest time out of 48 total competitors.

Nettles may have failed to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Thursday's 400m hurdles, but she already has entered her name in the NCAA heptathlon finals, June 13-14, in Eugene, Oregon. She is seeded 20th out of 24 hep athletes slated to compete at historic Hayward Field.

Her advancement to the NCAA Finals reflects the third straight year that Ball State has placed a competitor in the NCAA heptathlon finals.

Nettles Posts Career-Best Time at NCAA East Region Track Championships

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Kenli Nettles