Men's S&D Back In Action Saturday at Miami

MUNCIE, Ind. - - In what might be its toughest test to date this season, the Ball State men's swimming & diving program travels to Miami for a matchup of unbeaten Mid-American Conference programs Saturday afternoon.

The Cardinals at 4-0, square off against the RedHawks at 3-0 starting at 2 p.m. in the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center. It's the final scheduled regular season meet for Ball State heading into the 2021 MAC Men's Swimming & Diving Championships hosted by Miami April 8-10.

Meet lineup is expected to include:
200 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, 400 IM (exhibition), 200 IM, 200 free relay.

IN THE MAC RANKINGS:
In the latest USA Swimming Mid-American Conference Top Times report, Ball State has 14 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events with about a month before the MAC Championships.

Six Cardinals appear on the list at least twice, with freshman Zach Zishka leading the squad by ranking in four events; 500 freestyle, 1000 freestyle, 200 backstroke and 400 IM.

Additionally, Ball State has five athletes ranked in the top 16 in the 50 backstroke.

MEN SWIMMERS CURRENTLY RANKED IN MAC TOP 16:
Championship Events:
50 Freestyle: Owen Chaye (6th - 20.85) | Jack Wolfred (15th - 21.30)
100 Freestyle: Owen Chaye (5th - 45.54)
200 Freestyle: Drew Weeks (13th - 1:42.44) | Aiden Maurer (16th - 1:43.02)
500 Freestyle: Aiden Maurer (14th - 4:44.02) | Zach Zishka (15th - 4:45.21) | Ryan Short (16th - 4:45.41)
1000 Freestyle: Zachary Moody (9th - 9:56.74) | Sam Jennings (10th - 9:59.27) | Ryan Short (11th - 10:01.75) | Zach Zishka (13th - 10:03.47) | Dillon Freiberger (14th - 10:04.69)
100 Backstroke: Aiden Maurer (16th - 53.57)
200 Backstroke: Sam Jennings (13th - 2:00.41) | Zach Zishka (14th - 2:01.35) | Bryan Lower (16th - 2:02.98)
100 Breaststroke: Joey Garberick (4th - 55.19)
200 Breaststroke: Joey Garberick (5th - 2:02.86) | Noah Berryman (15th - 2:12.72)
200 Butterfly: Jackson Ketcham (10th - 1:54.84) | Bryce Handshoe (16th - 1:56.92)
400 Individual Medley: Zach Zishka (7th - 4:05.83)

Non-Championship Events:
50 Backstroke: Aiden Maurer (6^th - 24.75) | Jared Holder (7^th - 25.54) | Sam Jennings (8^th - 25.82) | Bryan Lower (9^th - 26.41) | Dillon Freiberger (10^th - 26.63)

MEN'S SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:
The men's swimming program enters Saturday's meet with a 4-0 record after beating Eastern Illinois (151-109), Bellarmine (165-96), Xavier (827.5-738.5) and Southern Illinois (180-108).

In the meet against Eastern Illinois, the Cardinals claimed victories in seven of 12 individual events and also took first-place in the 200 medley relay. Freshman Joey Garberick started his collegiate career by winning the 100 breaststroke (56.53), 200 breaststroke (2:09.49), and 200 IM (1:58.97).

Garberick's win in the 100 breaststroke was a Lewellen Aquatic Center record and landed him fifth in the Ball State record book in the event. Zach Zishka, Jack Wolfred, Davis Meyn, and Bryce Handshoe also picked up individual victories at the meet.

In the meet versus Bellarmine, the Cardinals won nine out of 14 events with Aiden Maurer, Garberick, and Owen Chaye picking up two individual victories each plus a combined win with Handshoe in the 200 medley relay.

Adding to the win total, Ryan Short picked up a victory in the 1000 freestyle and was also part of the first-place 400 free style relay.

In the Ball State's meet against Xavier, the team won nine of 14 events with Garberick and Chaye each picking up two more individual victories each. Drew Weeks, Jackson Ketcham, Duncan McLarty, and Maurer also earned one individual victory apiece.

Garberick swept both breaststroke events (100 - 55.19, 200 - 2:03.57). His time also moved him up to second in program history in the 100 breast and fourth in the 200 breast.

Chaye's winning time in the 100 free earned him ninth in program history. He also won the 50 free (20.85).

In its last home meet of the 2020-21 season, Ball State men's swimming won 11 of 16 events to beat Southern Illinois 180-108. The day was highlighted by a pool record set in the 400 medley relay swam by Maurer, Garberick, Handshoe, and Chaye (3:26.13).

Chaye and Garberick went on to each pick up two individual victories. Chaye swept the freestyle events (50 - 21.40, 100 - 46.77) while Garberick won both breaststroke events (100 - 56.86, 200 - 2:08.93).

Handshoe, Ketcham, and Short added to the win total with one individual win each. Wolfred, Patrick White, Weeks, and Chaye combined for the team victory in the 200 free relay.

In the diving well, the Cardinals picked up a win over UIndy on Jan. 16. Junior Hunter Ongay won the 3m competition with a score of 282.075, while placing second on the 1m board with a score of 294.225.

Against SIU, Isaac Hunter picked up wins in the 1M (285.15) and 3M (302.12) dives.

At the Miami Last Chance Meet (Feb. 26), Ongay won the 3M competition with an NCAA Zone Diving "C" cut of 325.35 to climb to sixth in program history. Sophomore Wyatt Blake would complete the diving sweep, taking the 1M competition with a score of 280.20.

Individual Event Winners (34 Total):
9 - Joey Garberick (Fr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/2020) - 100 Breaststroke (56.53 - Pool Record), 200 Breaststroke (2:09.49), 200 IM (1:58.97)
   vs. Bellarmine (1/16/2021) - 100 Breaststroke (57.93), 200 IM (1:56.65)
   vs. Xavier (1/31/2021) – 100 Breaststroke (55.19), 200 Breaststroke (2:02.86)
   vs. Southern Illinois (2/20/2021) – 100 Breaststroke (56.86), 200 Breaststroke (2:08.93)

6 - Owen Chaye (So.): vs. Bellarmine (1/16/2021) - 50 Freestyle (21.54), 100 Freestyle (46.85)
   vs. Xavier (1/31/2021) – 50 Freestyle (20.85), 100 Freestyle (45.54)
   vs. Southern Illinois (2/20/2021) – 50 Freestyle (21.40), 100 Freestyle (46.77)

3 - Aiden Maurer (So.): vs. Bellarmine (1/16/2021) - 100 Backstroke (53.57), 500 Freestyle (4:50.86)
   vs. Xavier (1/31/2021) - 500 Freestyle (4:44.02)

2 - Bryce Handshoe (So.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/2020) - 100 Butterfly (52.39)
   vs. Southern Illinois (2/20/2021) – 100 Butterfly (52.47)

2 - Isaac Hunter (Fr.): vs. Southern Illinois (2/20/2021) – 1m Diving (285.15), 3m Diving (301.12)

2 - Jackson Ketcham (Fr.): vs. Xavier (1/31/2021) – 200 Butterfly (1:54.84)
   vs. Southern Illinois (2/20/2021) – 200 Butterfly (1:58.53)

2 - Hunter Ongay (Jr.): vs. UIndy (1/16/2021) - 3m Diving (282.075)
   at Miami (2/26/2021) - 3m Diving (325.35)

2 - Ryan Short (Jr.): vs. Bellarmine (1/16/2021) - 1000 Freestyle (10:01.75)
   vs. Southern Illinois (2/20/2021) – 1000 Freestyle (10:03.19)

1 - Wyatt Blake (Fr.): at Miami (2/26/2021) - 1m Diving (280.20)

1 - Duncan McLarty (Jr.): vs. Xavier (1/31/2021) – 100 Butterfly (51.33)

1 - Davis Meyn (Sr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/2020) - 500 Freestyle (4:54.85)

1 - Drew Weeks (Sr.): vs. Xavier (1/31/2021) – 200 Freestyle (1:42.44)

1 - Jack Wolfred (So.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/2020) - 50 Freestyle (21.64)

1 - Zach Zishka (Fr.): vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/2020) - 1000 Freestyle (10:15.73)

Relay Event Winners (6 Total):
vs. Eastern Illinois (11/6/2020)
200 Medley Relay - Jared Holder, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye (1:34.57)

vs. Bellarmine (1/16/2021)
400 Freestyle Relay - Jack Wolfred, Ryan Short, Patrick White, Landyn Riester (3:13.02)
200 Medley Relay - Aiden Maurer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye (1:35.23)

vs. Xavier (1/31/2021)
200 Medley Relay – Aiden Maurer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye (1:32.80)

vs. Southern Illinois (2/20/2021)
400 Medley Relay – Aiden Maurer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye (3:26.13)
200 Freestyle Relay – Jack Wolfred, Patrick White, Drew Weeks, Owen Chaye (1:24.75)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Noah Berryman

Wyatt Blake

Owen Chaye

Dillon Freiberger

Joey Garberick

Bryce Handshoe

Jared Holder

Isaac Hunter

Sam Jennings

Jackson Ketcham

Bryan Lower

Aiden Maurer

Duncan McLarty

Davis Meyn

Zachary Moody

Hunter Ongay

Landyn Riester

Ryan Short

Drew Weeks

Patrick White

Jack Wolfred

Zach Zishka