Ongay Wins 3-Meter Title on Final Day of MAC Championships

OXFORD, Ohio - - For the second time in as many days, the Ball State men's swimming & diving program has a Mid-American Conference Champion.

Junior diver Hunter Ongay turned in one of the most brilliant performances of his career Saturday evening at Miami's Nixon Aquatic Center, scoring 310.55 on the 3-meter board to earn the title of MAC Champion.

"Hunter continues to take big steps forward week in and week out," head coach J. Agnew said. "It's been fantastic watching him grow in skill and confidence on the boards! I'm so proud to see him on the top of the podium and selected as the MAC Most Outstanding Diver!"

Ongay, who placed second on the 1-meter board Thursday evening, is Ball State's first MAC diving champion since 1998 when Dave Garrow won the 1-meter. Garrow was also BSU's last 3-meter champion, winning that title in 1997.

Thanks to his efforts on both boards, Ongay was named the MAC's Most Outstanding Diver and earned a spot on the All-MAC First Team.

In addition to Ongay's MAC title, freshman Isaac Hunter placed third on the 3-meter board with a score of 284.55, while sophomore Wyatt Blake finished eighth at 228.10. After placing third tonight and fifth in Thursday's 1-meter competition, Hunter was named the MAC Freshman Diver of the Year.

In addition for his help mentoring Ball State's diving corps, Jacob Brehmer was named the MAC Diving Coach of the Year.

Coming off his MAC Championship in the 100 breaststroke Friday, freshman Joey Garberick turned in another impressive performance Saturday to lead the Cardinals in the pool.

After becoming just the second swimmer in program history to go sub-2:00 in the 200 breaststroke in the prelims, Garberick picked it up a notch in the finals by taking third in 1:58.41 for the second-fastest clocking in program history.

Thanks to his efforts over the three-day meet, which includes helping set the program record in the 200 medley relay Friday night, Garberick was named to the All-MAC First Team. He also swam legs for the 200 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay and 400 free relay which now rank second at Ball State.

Senior Davis Meyn also added an impressive performance in the 200 breaststroke with the sixth-best effort on BSU's all-time list at 2:04.63 to take 11th.

The meet's longest event turned out to be a good one for the Cardinals, who placed five swimmers in the top 11 of the 1650 freestyle. Leading the way was freshman Zach Zishka with a four-place time of 15:53.73. It was the third-best individual time in program history.

Junior Ryan Short was not far behind, taking fifth in 16:07.39. Sophomore Dillon Freiberger rounded out three Cardinals in the top eight, taking the eighth spot in 16:20.50.

Ball State picked up two more top eight finishes in the 200 backstroke, led by sophomore Jared Holder's fifth-place swim of 1:48.44 which was the second-best time in program history. Freshman Sam Jennings also swam in the championship heat of the finals, placing eighth in 1:58.19.

Holder's effort in the 200 backstroke, along with his fourth-place finish in the 100 backstroke on Friday, helped him secure a spot on the All-MAC Second Team.

In the day's shortest event, sophomore Jack Wolfred led the Cardinals to the wall in the 100 freestyle, clocking in at 45.45 for the seventh-best time on Ball State's all-time list.

The final individual swimming event saw freshman Jackson Ketcham lead the way with an 11th-place effort of 1:51.76. It was identical to the mark set by sophomore Bryce Handshoe in the morning prelims, who finished 13th in the finals at 1:52.70. The effort ties for sixth on BSU's all-time list.

The Cardinals closed the meet with another strong relay finish, as Jack Wolfred (45.40), Owen Chaye (44.73), Duncan McLarty (45.51) and Garberick (45.58) registered the second-fastest 400 free relay in BSU annals at 3:01.22.

"After these last three days, this team is both exhausted and exhilarated," Agnew said. "They poured their heart and soul into their races and I couldn't be more proud of the effort! While we are enjoying each step forward, what I like best is no one is satisfied with where we are now. They are already talking about the next step they want to take this summer and next season! I love these Cardinals!"

Overall, the Cardinals finished the three-day meet with a score of 511.50 points. It's the program's highest point total at the MAC Championships since the 2005 event when Ball State finished third at 571.

"It was great to see our team rack up some points on the scoreboard this week," Agnew added. "Make no mistake, our Cardinals came to compete and we expected to take a big step forward at this meet!"

Final Team Standings
1st - Miami - 932 points
2nd - Missouri State - 687 points
3rd - Southern Illinois - 588.50 points
4th - Ball State - 511.50 points
5th - Evansville - 301 points

1650 Freestyle Championships
4th - Zach Zishka - 15:53.73 / 15 points - 3rd in program history
5th - Ryan Short - 16:07.39 / 14 points
8th - Dillon Freiberger - 16:20.50 / 11 points
10th - Zachary Moody - 16:29.64 / 7 points
11th - Sam Jennings - 16:41.81 / 6 points

200 Backstroke Championships
5th - Jared Holder - 1:48.44 / 14 points - 2nd in program history
8th - Sam Jennings - 1:58.19 / 11 points (1:52.51 in prelims)
12th - Aiden Maurer - 1:54.19 / 5 points (1:52.57 in prelims)

100 Freestyle Championships
13th - Jack Wolfred - 45.45 / 4 points - 7th in program history
14th - Owen Chaye - 45.52 / 3 points - 10th in program history
16th - Duncan McLarty - 46.01 / 1 point

200 Breaststroke Championships
3rd - Joey Garberick - 1:58.41 / 16 points - 2nd in program history
11th - Davis Meyn - 2:04.63 / 6 points - 6th in program history
15th - Noah Berryman - 2:09.48 / 2 points (2:09.23 in prelims)

200 Butterfly Championships
11th - Jackson Ketcham - 1:51.76 - 6th in program history
13th - Bryce Handshoe - 1:52.70 / 4 points (1:51.76 in prelims - 6th in program history)

3-Meter Diving Championships
1st - Hunter Ongay - 310.55 / 20 points -
3rd - Isaac Hunter - 284.55 / 16 points
8th - Wyatt Blake - 228.10 / 11 points

400 Freestyle Relay Championships
4th - Jack Wolfred (45.40), Owen Chaye (44.73), Duncan McLarty (45.51), Joey Garberick (45.58) - 3:01.22 / 30 points - 2nd in program history

Saturday Morning Preliminary Rounds (swimmers not advancing to finals)
100 Free Prelims
18th - Drew Weeks - 46.89
EXH - Patrick White - 46.37
EXH - Ryan Jackowiak - 49.44

200 Butterfly Prelims
19th - Landyn Riester - 1:54.68
EXH - Bennet Witteveen - 1:57.45
EXH - Bryan Lower - 2:00.10

Ongay Wins 3-Meter Title on Final Day of MAC Championships

Players Mentioned

Noah Berryman

Wyatt Blake

Owen Chaye

Dillon Freiberger

Joey Garberick

Bryce Handshoe

Jared Holder

Isaac Hunter

Ryan Jackowiak

Sam Jennings

Jackson Ketcham

Bryan Lower

Aiden Maurer

Duncan McLarty

Davis Meyn

Zachary Moody

Hunter Ongay

Landyn Riester

Ryan Short

Drew Weeks

Patrick White

Bennet Witteveen

Jack Wolfred

Zach Zishka

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