MUNCIE — The moment wasn’t too big for Ball State junior Regan Lewis.
The Greenfield-Central graduate, the first Ball State student-athlete to advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in more than a decade, traveled to Eugene, Oregon, and represented her school in style on June 9.
Lewis cleared 5 feet, 10 inches, finishing 10th in the nation in the high jump, good enough for second-team All-American honors.
Not bad for a junior competing in her first national meet. But for Lewis, 10th place isn’t good enough.
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She wants to do better.
“It didn’t really go like I thought it would,” Lewis said. “Two more spots up would have been ideal. It was a great learning experience for next year and a great experience in general.”
Lewis went into the meet with the goal of being first-team All-American and hopefully winning a national championship.
She came tantalizingly close to at least one of those goals, as the top eight finishers earn that distinction.
She just came up a little bit short.
“Regan was so close at 1.82m (5-11 1/2), which would have put her in the top four and possibly even allowed her to win a national championship,” Ball State coach Brian Etelman said after the meet. “I know this experience will prove invaluable and motivate her to be even better next year.”
For years now, Lewis has had a goal of clearing 6 feet in the high jump. It’s a bar she set knowing she would need to clear it to contend for a national championship.
This year, that height would have won a national championship. The top three jumpers all cleared 5-11 ½ but could go no higher.
Coming so close, and finishing in the top 10 in the nation, gives Lewis a boost heading into her senior season.
“It’s going to give me a lot more confidence next season,” Lewis said. “I know I can do really well in the national meet now.”
Not surprisingly, she has high goals for herself next year. She still wants to get over the 6-foot mark and push even higher.
“I want to place higher than 10th next year,” Lewis said. “I would like to jump higher. I want to PR (personal record) again before my career ends.”
In her first appearance at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Lewis was one of only 11 high jumpers to successfully clear 5-10. The three-time defending Mid-American Conference high jump champion started strong by clearing 5-8 on her second attempt.
She was one of only 17 competitors to successfully clear the opening height.
After missing her first two attempts at 5-10, Lewis put herself in contention for the national title by clearing the bar on her third attempt.
Before the meet, Lewis said she was hoping she could help put Ball State on the map nationally in track and field.
She certainly did her part.
Lewis is the first All-American honoree for Ball State track since 2007. She’s only the second high-jumper to ever earn the distinction at the school, the first coming in 1983 and 1984.
She is the sixth outdoor track and field athlete ever at Ball State to be named an All-American.
“It’s great for Ball State to kind of get its name out there,” Lewis said. “There were a couple schools at the meet that were smaller, but it was mostly bigger ones.”
The meet provided a special type of experience for Lewis while also punctuating a busy junior year in college.
The nursing major started clinicals this year, yet still found time to become an All-American in track and field.
“I passed my classes and I made it to nationals,” Lewis said. “I’d say it was a great year.”
The meet wasn’t as scary as she thought it would be, Lewis said, and the atmosphere was incredible, with the stands going crazy every time someone else won a national championship.
“The meet in general was an amazing experience,” Lewis said. “Going against all of the best people in the nation was the best meet you could possibly be at. To finish that high was surreal.”
While the dream of a national title has to wait another year, Lewis might be regularly reminded of her accomplishments, and her ultimate goal, at meets during her season season.
She’s one of only 16 people in the nation who have a special distinction, now.
“It’s cool that when they announce me, they might say I’m an All American,” Lewis said. “It sounds really cool. Now I’m one of those.”