Ball State University Athletics
Swimming & Diving Splashes Off at Notre Dame Relays
October 05, 2005 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State swimming & diving program will splash off its 2005-06 campaign this Friday, when it travels to South Bend, Ind., for the Dennis Stark Relays. The event, which will take place at the Rolf's Aquatic Center, is slated to start at 6:30 p.m. and features Ball State, Cleveland State, Illinois State (women only), Marquette, Notre Dame, Oakland, Valparaiso and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
The Cardinals return a combined 40 letterwinners from last season's squad, including 21 on the women's side and 19 from the men's side.
During the 2004-05 campaign, the women's team posted a 6-4 (4-3 Mid-American Conference) record, while the men's team went 3-3 (2-2 MAC). The men's team went on to post a third-place finish at the league championships, while the women's squad placed fourth.
Topping the list of returnees for the men's side are a group of seven talented seniors, including three-time 2005 MAC Champion Kurtis Leer (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble H.S.). At last season's MAC Championships, Leer collected the individual titles in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events. In addition, his times in the 100 free (44.75) and 200 free (1:39.04) were school records, while his 50 free time of 20.36 placed third on the school's all-time speed chart.
Seniors Ritchie Caudill (Muncie, Ind./Burris H.S.), Dustin Fulkerson (Carmi, Ill./Mt. Vernon H.S.), Robert Funk (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian H.S.), Jim Lullo (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central H.S.) and Joshua Schum (Mt. Vernon, Ind./Mt. Vernon H.S.) will also be competing in their final season with the Cardinals. Caudill - - the son of co-head coach Laura Seibold-Caudill - - Schum and Leer were all named to the Academic All-MAC squad last season. Leer picked up All-MAC First Team accolades and Schum earned All-MAC Second Team honors. Junior Adam Konopka (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora) was also an All-MAC Second Team selection last season.
On the women's side, the Cardinals also return seven seniors, including a pair of sisters Amber and Jenna Arnold (Rockport, Ind./South Spencer H.S.). Joining the Arnold sisters are: Abby Arnold (Portland, Ind./Jay County H.S.), Michelle Braden (Elkhart, Ind./Concord H.S.), Danielle Fisher (Terre Haute, Ind./South H.S.), Paige Vernasco (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead H.S.) and Alyssa Watkins (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg H.S.).
In addition to the seven seniors, the women's program returns a pair of juniors who earned All-MAC Second Team accolades. Brittany Sayler (Crawfordsville, Ind./Southmont H.S.) pick up second-team recognition after placing second in the 100 backstroke (57.68) and sixth in the 200 backstroke (2:05.11) at the MAC Championships. Mary Brinkoetter (Decatur, Ill./St. Teresa H.S.) earned the honor by recording a second-place and school-record clocking of 2:03.26 in the 200 backstroke and finishing fourth in the 400 individual medley with a time of 4:26.85 which ranks third on the school's charts.
Co-head coaches Seibold-Caudill and Bob Thomas return for their 27th seasons as the program's head mentors and second as the program's co-head coaches. Last season, the pair guided BSU swimming & diving to a combined 9-7 (6-5 MAC) ledger. With last season's results, Seibold-Caudill holds a 213-121-1 career record, while Thomas boasts an 163-116 career record. Also on the coaching staff are first-year graduate assistant Erica Janssen and second-year volunteer assistant diving coach McKenze Murphy.
After the Dennis Stark Relays this weekend, the Cardinals will return to Lewellen Aquatic Center Oct. 14 for the annual Red-White Meet which is slated for a 6 p.m. start.
