Ball State University Athletics
Swimming & Diving Sweeps MAC Awards for Second Time
December 13, 2005 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State senior men's swimmer Kurtis Leer (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble H.S.) and freshman women's swimmer Meghan Patterson (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley H.S.) have been named the Mid-American Conference Swimmers of the Week, marking the second time this season BSU has swept the league's weekly awards. Leer picks up the award for the second time this season and the sixth time in his career, while Patterson earns the honor for the first time.
Leer earns the honor after posting a pair of individual first-place efforts and a relay win in the Cardinals 128-115 loss to Michigan State last Saturday at the Lewellen Aquatic Center. Leer - - the defending MAC Champion in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle events - - claimed the men's first of seven top efforts on the day with a clocking of 1:43.68 in the 200 free. The time is a season-fast for Leer and the fifth-fastest in the MAC so far this season.
Five events later, Leer would post a time of 47.97 in the 100 free to pace the competition by over half a second. Leer would conclude the meet by swimming the first leg for the first-place 200 free relay (1:28.37) squad.
Patterson earns the honor after collecting a pair of first-place finishes in the longest two events in BSU's 137-106 loss to MSU last Saturday. Like Leer, Patterson gave the women's squad its first event win over the Spartans with a clocking of 10:28.20 in the 1,000 free. The time is the fastest of Patterson's career and currently ranks fifth in the league.
Eight events later, Patterson paced the field in the 500 free with a time of 5:10.73. Patterson also swam the anchor for the fourth-place 200 free relay squad that clocked in at 1:41.78.
Both the Ball State men's and women's squads will return to action Jan. 13, when the teams visit Illinois State for a 5 p.m. start. The University of Illinois-Chicago will also be participating in the event.
