Women's S&D Back In Action With Two Meets This Weekend

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's swimming & diving program will take a perfect 3-0 record into an action-packed weekend with back-to-back contests at Miami Friday and at home against Xavier Saturday.

The RedHawks also enter Friday's 5 p.m. showdown at the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center with an unblemished dual record at 2-0. One of those wins, a 186.6-66.5 victory over Xavier on Feb. 6.

Friday's meet lineup is expected to include:
400 Medley Relay, 1000 free, 200 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 200 fly, 50 free, 1M diving, 100 free, 200 back, 200 breast, 500 free, 100 fly, 3M diving, 200 IM, 400 free relay

The Musketeers enter Saturday's noon meet at the Lewellen Aquatic Center with a 1-2 dual record. The win, a 164-94 victory at Bellarmine on Jan. 23. The Cardinals scored a 165.5-80.5 victory over the same Knights squad its last time out on Jan. 16.

Saturday's meet lineup is expected to include:
200 Medley Relay, 1000 free, 200 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 200 fly, 50 free, 100 free, 200 back, 200 breast, 500 free, 100 fly, 400 IM, 200 free relay

Saturday's Ball State swimming & diving home meet is not open to the general public in order to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.

Family and friends can follow the action with LIVE VIDEO and LIVE RESULTS

IN THE MAC RANKINGS:
In the latest USA Swimming Mid-American Conference Top Times report, the Cardinals have three student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events with a little more than two months remaining until the MAC Championships hosted by Eastern Michigan (April 15-17).

In addition, three Cardinals are ranked in the top 16 in the 50 backstroke.

WOMEN SWIMMERS CURRENTLY RANKED IN MAC TOP 16:
Championship Events:
1000 Freestyle: Katie Walker (10:37.91 – 14^th)
100 Breaststroke: Alex Bader (1:04.81 – 13^th)
200 Breaststroke: Laura Wright (2:22.01 – 13^th)

Non-Championship Events:
50 Backstroke: Shelby Crist (26.40 – 8^th)
Audrey Schank (26.55 – 10^th)
Sophia Kuehn (27.17 – 16^th)

PROGRAM RECORD ALERT:
The Cardinals also saw a program record go down on Jan. 16, when senior Caitlin Locante swept the diving events in competition versus UIndy.

Her 3M score of 323.625 was nearly five points better than the previous program record of 318.67 set by Whitney Adams in 2012. It was also an NCAA Zone Diving qualifying score. Locante also won the 1M event with a score of 253.425.

WOMEN'S SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
The women's swimming & diving program enters the weekend 3-0 with wins against Eastern Illinois (Nov. 6), Bowling Green (Nov. 7) and Bellarmine (Jan. 16). Ball State's student-athletes have won 33 individual events so far this season, as well as three relays.

In the first meet of the season, the women beat Eastern Illinois 165-92 and claimed the top spot in all 12 individual events and the 200 medley relay. Most notably, sophomore Apsara Sakbun won both the 50 free (24.17) and the 200 back (2:07.08). Sakbun was also part of the winning 200 medley relay team.

Alexa McDonald picked up two individual wins as well in the 100 breast (1:06.83) and 100 free (54.24).

The second meet of the season brought a 172-127 victory over MAC rival Bowling Green. The Cardinals won nine events, with Phoebe Rensink and Sakbun each picking up two individual victories. Once again, Sakbun was part of the winning 200 medley relay.

Rensink swept the butterfly events (100 – 58.01, 200 – 2:08.29) as Sakbun dominated the freestyle events (50 – 24.15, 100 – 52.76).

After not competing for over a month, Ball State came out strong in the first meet of 2021 and dominated Bellarmine by a score of 165.5-80.5. The Cardinals had 12 overall victories with Marcella Ribeiro, Rensink, and Sakbun all picking up two individual victories each.

Ribeiro shined in her Ball State debut against Bellarmine, picking up wins in the 200 free (1:53.56) and the 500 free (5:04.49).

Rensink went on to win the 200 fly (2:07.62) and 200 IM (2:09.87). She was also part of the winning 200 medley relay team.

Sakbun continued to dominate the freestyle events with wins in the 50 free (24.41) and 100 free (52.52).

Individual Event Winners (33 Total):
6 - Apsara Sakbun (So.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 50 Freestyle (24.17), 200 Backstroke (2:07.08)
              vs. Bowling Green (11/7/20) - 50 Freestyle (24.15), 100 Freestyle (52.76)
              vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - 50 Freestyle (24.41), 100 Freestyle (52.52)

5 - Phoebe Rensink (So.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 200 Butterfly (2:08.18)
              vs. Bowling Green (11/7/20) - 200 Butterfly (2:08.39), 100 Butterfly (58.01)
              vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - 200 Butterfly (2:07.62), 200 IM (2:09.87)

3 - Sophia Kuehn (Fr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 200 IM (2:09.50)
              vs. Bowling Green (11/7/20) - 400 IM (4:42.43)
              vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - 200 Backstroke (2:08.05)

3 - Katie Walker (Jr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 500 Freestyle (5:13.05)
              vs. Bowling Green (11/7/20) - 1000 Freestyle (10:37.91)
              vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - 1000 Freestyle (10:38.92)

3 - Laura Wright (Fr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 200 Breaststroke (2:22.01)
              vs. Bowling Green (11/7/20) - 200 Breaststroke (2:24.20)
              vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - 200 Breaststroke (2:23.31)

2 - Alex Bader (Sr.): vs. Bowling Green (11/7/20) - 100 Breaststroke (1:05.62)
              vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - 100 Breaststroke (1:04.81)

2 - Shelby Crist (So.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 100 Backstroke (58.30)
              vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - 100 Backstroke (57.81)

2 - Caitlin Locante (Sr.): vs. UIndy (1/16/21) - 1M Diving (253.425), 3M Diving (323.625 - NCAA Zone / Program Record)

2 - Alexa McDonald (Jr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 100 Breaststroke (1:06.83), 100 Freestyle (54.24)

2 - Marcella Ribeiro (Fr.): vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21) - - 200 Freestyle (1:53.56), 500 Freestyle (5:04.49)

1 - Sydney Dygert (So.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 100 Butterfly (59.22)

1 - Kya Pawli (Fr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 200 Freestyle (1:57.02)

1 - Mary Kate Phillips (Fr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20) - 1000 Freestyle (10:48.01)

Relay Event Winners (3 Total):
vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/20)
200 Medley Relay - Audrey Schank, Laura Wright, Shelby Crist, Apsara Sakbun - 1:45.35

vs. Bowling Green (11/7/20)
200 Medley Relay - Audrey Schank, Laura Wright, Shelby Crist, Apsara Sakbun - 1:46.36

vs. Bellarmine (1/16/21)
200 Medley Relay - Shelby Crist, Laura Wright, Phoebe Rensink, Kayleigh Witt (1:47.36)

Ball State University Athletics

Women's S&D Back In Action With Two Meets This Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Alex Bader

Shelby Crist

Sydney Dygert

Sophia Kuehn

Caitlin Locante

Alexa McDonald

Kya Pawli

Mary Kate Phillips

Phoebe Rensink

Marcella Ribeiro

Apsara Sakbun

Audrey Schank

Katie Walker

Kayleigh Witt

Laura Wright

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