Swimming and Diving Releases 2018-19 Schedule

MUNCIE, Ind. – As the first season under new head coach J. Agnew approaches, the Ball State University swimming and diving team has finalized its 2018-19 schedule.

Though both the men's and women's teams have been combined into one unit with one coaching staff, the schedule still features a combination of men's, women's and co-ed meets. A first glimpse of the new team will be available on October 6 when the Cardinals compete in their annual Red and White Intrasquad meet.

"This is my introduction to MAC swimming so I'm really excited to get started," said head coach J. Agnew. "I think we have a great mix of opponents. This is a great schedule to get us ready for the MAC Championships, and obviously the goal is to go beyond that into the postseason."

Coach Agnew will make an early return to his previous school as the first meet for both the men and women will be at Purdue for the Indiana Intercollegiate on Saturday, October 13.

"Traveling out to Purdue will be exciting," Said Agnew. "There are a lot of great, quality Indiana universities that will be there and it will be a nice early-season test for us."

The Cardinals' first co-ed home meet will take place on November 2 when they welcome Eastern Illinois to town, with the other coming on January 19 against Miami (OH). The other home events this season are made up of a women's showdown against MAC foe Akron on November 3, and a men's contest with in-state rival Evansville on January 18.

The women will travel to face Bowling Green early in the season on October 26 while the men will compete in the Butler Invitational in Fishers, Ind. on January 27 to round out the regular season.

Ball State will compete in three co-ed meets on the road, including trips to Grand Valley State and Indiana State, where Southern Illinois will also compete. The team will also make the quick trip to Oxford, Ohio where it will compete in the three-day Miami Invitational.

"Being out at Miami for the invitational mid-season where the men will have their championship meet later on will be a good test for us where we can compete against some good MAC schools," Agnew said.

The season all culminates at the MAC Championships where the team will look to bring home conference titles and qualify for the NCAA Championships. The women's championship will take place February 27 through March 2 in Akron, Ohio while the men will compete from March 4 through March 7 in Oxford.

"Everything we do this season is focused on the MAC Championships," Agnew expressed. "We need to make sure that we're always tuning up and ready to race."

Should any Cardinals qualify for the NCAA Championships, the women's championships will be held March 20 through March 23 in Austin, Texas while the men's will take place March 27 through March 30 in the same location. NCAA Diving Zones will proceed in West Lafayette, Ind. March 14 through March 16.

"I think we have a good variety of tests that will allow us to swim against some great competition," said Agnew. "All of that will foster an opportunity to compete at the highest level. Our goal is just to move forward every meet. We want to push forward to greater heights with better times and enjoy it all along the way."

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