Ball State University Athletics
Women's Swim & Dive To Compete In Split Squad Invites
December 03, 2015 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State women's swimming and diving program will split up to take on both the Miami Invitational and the Eastern Michigan Invitational this upcoming weekend. The swimmers will participate in Oxford, Ohio from Dec. 3-5, while the divers will compete in Ypsilanti, Mich. from Dec. 4-5.
The Cardinals have had a couple weeks off from competition, after hosting the 12th annual co-ed Douglas A. Coers Invitational in the Lewellen Aquatic Center on Nov. 21. The Ball State women's swimming and diving program fell to Grand Valley State in a narrow 679-651 final.
The women's squad posted seven event wins, including six individuals. Junior diver Quinn Bixler led the Cardinals with two event wins, marking scores of 270.60 and 282.98 in the one- and three-meter events, respectively. Both scores will send Bixler to her first NCAA Diving Zones competition, were lifetime best scores, and place her eighth all-time in the Ball State record books. The combination of Cardinal divers also tallied five additional season best scores throughout the invitational.
In the lanes, sophomore Amanda Kedzierski earned two event wins, including the 100 breaststroke in a 1:05.35 final, as well as in the 200 medley relay (1:46.76) with teammates Jenna Zitkus, Andrea Richter and Jessica Extine. Extine then went on to tally an individual event win when she touched the wall at 24.32 in the 50 freestyle.
Last year, the Cardinals finished fourth overall at the co-ed Eastern Michigan Invitational with 643.5 points. The women's swim and dive team set 53 new season best times in individual events, along with four new relay season bests.
Standout events included when Amanda Kedzierski found her years top times in three events, including the 100 breast, 200 breast and 200 IM. With her third place finish overall in the 100 breast, Kedzierski had set the Cardinals top time of the year in the event at 1:04.00. She also led the team in the 200 breast with a 2:20.01 finish and rounded out the weekend with a solid 2:09.96 time in the 200 IM. Fellow Cardinal Jenna Zitkus had polished a top-three finish with her 58.05 time in the 100 back to finish third overall in the Invite, but also to set the team's season best in the event.
The Oxford, Ohio host RedHawks will be facing off against Denison, Emory, Ball State, Urbana and Toledo in the Nixon Aquatic Center. The invitational is slated to begin at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3.
The RedHawks are 3-3 in dual meets thus far, with their last meet being a 173-116 loss to Ohio State. Miami's other two losses came at the hands of Purdue and Eastern Michigan. Xavier, Ball State and Buffalo all fell to the RedHawks this year.
As host of the Ball State divers in the 10th annual invite, the Eagles have not finished lower than second at the EMU Invitational. Finishing runner up for seven consecutive seasons, Eastern Michigan finished with a first place finish during the 2012-13 season. Since claiming the title, the Eagles placed second the following year before returning to the top of the podium last season.
Looking ahead, the women's swimming and diving team will take a break for the holidays and will pick up competition on Jan. 8, 2016 at the co-ed Xavier and IUPUI meet with the Ball State men's swimming and diving program, which will take place in Indianapolis, Ind.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State women's swimming and diving action, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateWSwim on Twitter.
