Men?s Swimming & Diving To Host Red/White Meet Oct. 23

October 22, 2009 | Men's Swimming and Diving

By: Ball State Athletics

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State men's swimming and diving team will host its annual Red/White Meet Friday at 7 p.m. in the Lewellen Aquatic Center. Admission to the event is FREE for all fans.

Under the guidance of 31st-year head coach Bob Thomas, the Cardinals return 17 letterwinners from last year's squad that posted nine top 24 times at the Sun Belt/Mid-American Conference Championships.

However, the Cardinals look to gain more success at this season's league championship event, as three new members (Evansville, Missouri State and Southern Illinois) have joined MAC in men's swimming and diving. The addition of the three programs, which the Cardinals will not face during the regular season, allows the conference to host its own championship meet for the first time since the 2006-07 season.

Heading into the season, the men's squad will be led by a talented group of eight seniors who were responsible for three of the scoring efforts at the league championship meet.

Seniors Ben Battjes (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial H.S.) and Austin Laska (Palos Park, Ill/A.A. Stagg) return as two of the top freestyle sprint specialists in the league, as both finished in the top 10 at the championship meet. Battjes placed eighth overall in the 50 freestyle (20.76), while collecting a 22nd-place effort in the 100 freestyle (45.99). Laska was one spot behind in the 50 freestyle, placing ninth overall with a time of 20.44 to win the second finals heat.

Other seniors looking to help guide the underclassman group, which includes eight freshmen and seven sophomores, are: Adam Dale (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg H.S.), Tyler Dixon (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville H.S.), Ben Karwoski (Bluffton, Ind. Bluffton H.S.), Ryan Misener (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial H.S.), Jordan Rantz (Leesburg, Ind./Wawasee H.S.) and Josh Young (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North H.S.).

BSU's junior class includes Mark Golden (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park H.S.) who tallied the third-best time in program history in the 1650 freestyle (16:00.18), while placing 16th in the event at the MAC Championships. He also turned in a 23rd-place showing in the 500 freestyle (4:36.69) at the event.

Three sophomores also turned in scoring efforts at the league meet. Andrew Hostetler (Vincennes, Ind./Jasper H.S.) took home 21st in the 400 individual medley (4:06.82), while Chris Krupa (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike H.S.) and Gavin McNeeley (North Manchester, Ind./Manchester H.S.) placed 24th in the 100 butterfly (51.28) and 100 breaststroke (59.00), respectively.

The Red/White Meet will serve as the team's final tune-up before it opens the 2009-10 season with a 6 p.m. Mid-American Conference road meet at Buffalo Saturday, Nov. 7.