Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Ball State Relay Invitational
Men's S&D Wins Ball State Relay Invitational
January 09, 2010 | Men's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State men's swimming and diving team won 11 of 12 events to take home the Ball State Relay Invitational title Saturday afternoon at the Lewellen Aquatic Center. BSU scored 210 points to top Valparaiso (126) and IUPUI (74) in the three-team meet.
Senior Ben Battjes (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial), freshman James Aksamit (Rochester, Minn./Lourdes H.S.) and sophomore Chris Krupa (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike H.S.) got the Cardinals rolling in the first event, as they combined for a time of 2:39.06 to win the 300-yard butterfly relay by over seven seconds.
The senior trio of Ryan Misener (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial), Tyler Dixon (Jeffersonville, Ind./Jeffersonville H.S.) and Adam Dale (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg H.S.) followed with a dominating win of their own in the 300 backstroke relay, posting a time of 2:42.94 to win by almost seven seconds.
The Cardinals added their third-straight victory in the 300 breaststroke relay, as sophomore Gavin McNeeley (North Manchester, Ind./Manchester H.S.), sophomore Mark Nau (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Snider H.S.) and senior Jordan Rantz (Leesburg, Ind./Wawasee H.S.) posted a clocking of 3:03.86.
In the first four-swimmer relay of the afternoon, the Cardinals' freshman Nicholas Stevens (Greencastle, Ind./Greencastle H.S.), sophomore Tony DeBrota (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike H.S.), junior Mark Golden (Itasca, Ill./Lake Park H.S.) and senior Ben Karwoski (Bluffton, Ind./Bluffton H.S.) topped the field by almost 10 seconds, as they clocked in at 7:23.76, while the second place squad touched in at 7:33.40.
In the three-meter diving event, the Cardinals Jeremy Whited (Richmond, Ind./Richmond H.S.)posted a six-dive score of 249.00 to capture the top spot.
In the 500 freestyle relay, Battjes, freshman Devon Hill (Muncie, Ind./Central H.S.), sophomore Andrew Hostetler (Vincennes, Ind./Jasper H.S.) and Dale combined for a first-place time of 4:20.65, to top the second-place relay by over five seconds.
Misener, McNeeley, Krupa and senior Austin Laska (Palos Park, Ill./A.A. Stagg) followed with a time of 1:38.16 to win the first sprint relay event, the 200 medley relay.
With Krupa and Laska swimming their second-straight event, joined by Battjes and Hill who swam the first two legs, the Cardinals won with 200 freestyle relay with a time 1:28.05.
In the longest event of the competition, Hostetler, Golden and Karwoski combined for a time of 14:51.78 to win the 1500 freestyle relay, coming in almost 32 seconds ahead of the next closest team.
IUPUI was able to stop the Cardinals momentum momentarily, as Mitchell Gauger won the one-meter diving competition, followed by BSU freshman Quinton Rodriguez (Rockford, Mich./Rockford H.S.) in second place.
In the next-to-last event, Battjes, Hill, McNeeley and Krupa posted a time of 3:44.78 to win the 400 medley relay.
The Cardinals ended the meet with Misener, sophomore Casey Schroeder (Williamsport, Ind./Seeger Memorial), Karwoski and Laska winning the 400 freestyle relay with an effort of 3:21.99.
The Ball State men's swimming & diving team will return to competition next Friday (Jan. 15), when it travels to Purdue for a 6 p.m. swim against the Boilermakers.
Players Mentioned
