Women’s Swimming & Diving Medals in Three Friday Events
April 16, 2021 | Women's Swimming and Diving
YPSILANTI, Mich. - - Ball State waited seven years for a swimming medalist at the Mid-American Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championships until yesterday's swim by freshman Marcella Ribeiro in the 500 freestyle.
The Cardinals made sure it was not another seven years for the next, as two individuals and one relay reached the podium Friday evening on the second of three days at the 2021 MAC Championships.
After a morning preliminary round which saw another Ribeiro program record and the Cardinals send at least one individual to the finals in each of the six individual events, it was a strong relay which got the Cardinals off and running Friday night.
Senior Audrey Schank led off the 200 medley relay with an impressive 50 back time of 25.46 and the Cardinals never looked back. Senior Alex Bader followed in 28.37 in the 50 breaststroke, sophomore Shelby Crist clocked a 50 butterfly time of 24.99 and sophomore Apsara Sakbun closed it out with a 50 freestyle effort of 22.43.
The combined time, 1:41.25, to earn the relay a bronze medal for a third-place effort, as well as the fourth-fastest time in program history.
That was just the start of a great evening which saw the Cardinals score 132 points as a team and climb to fifth in the overall standings with 213 total points heading into Saturday's final day of competition.
One day after earning bronze in the 500 freestyle, Ribeiro picked up her second individual medal of the meet, only making it a silver this time around. Her time of 1:48.13 in the 200 freestyle was the second-fastest of the meet and was another program record.
However, the most impressive performance of the day came in the 100 breaststroke as the Cardinals sent four swimmers to the finals, including two in the championship heat. Leading the list was Bader who picked up her second bronze medal of the day by finishing in third at 1:01.74.
Freshman Laura Wright was not far behind, tying for seventh in 1:03.19. In the consolation finals, junior Alexa McDonald placed 12th (1:03.58) and senior Cailin Merck took tied for 14th (1:04.22), helping the Cardinals score 35 total points in the event.
The big individual swims did not start there, however, as junior Katie Walker opened the second evening of individual events with the second-fastest time in program history in the 400 IM to place 10th overall at 4:24.14. Freshman Sophia Kuehn also made it to the finals, taking 16th in 4:33.45.
Sophomore Gracie Saulman represented Ball State in the 100 butterfly, placing 16th in 56.06, which was just shy of breaking into the top 10 in program history.
In the final individual swimming event of the day, Schank turned in another impressive performance with a 10th-place time of 55.13 to move into third on the BSU all-time list. Right behind her was Crist, who touched the wall in 55.14 to take 11th and fourth in Ball State's record book.
The Cardinals also had a pair of divers advance to the finals on the 3-meter board, led by freshman Riley Bullock who is the eighth seed in Saturday's championship round of the event. Sophomore Madison Gatzlaff competed in Friday night's consolation round, placing 13th with a score of 232.05.
Rounding out a great day of competition was a seventh-place showing in the 800 freestyle relay, as Ribeiro, freshman Kayleigh Witt, freshman Mary Kate Phillips and Walker combined for a time of 7:31.15 which was good enough to rank fifth in program history.
The Cardinals look for another big day Saturday, when it closes competition at the 2021 MAC Championships with action in the 1650 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, championship heat of 3-meter diving and the 400 freestyle relay.
Prelims begin at 10:30 a.m., with finals starting at 6:10 p.m.
Team Standings After 13 Events
1. Akron - 506
2. Buffalo - 494
3. Miami - 311.5
4. Ohio - 262
5. Ball State - 213
6. Eastern Michigan - 204
7. Toledo - 180
8. Bowling Green - 168.5
200 Medley Relay Championships
3rd - Audrey Schank (25.46), Alex Bader (28.37), Shelby Crist (24.99), Apsara Sakbun (22.43) - 1:41.25 / 32 points - 4th in program history
400 IM Championships
10th - Katie Walker - 4:24.14 / 7 points - 2nd in program history
16th - Sophia Kuehn - 4:33.45 / 1 point (4:27.37 in prelims - 8th in program history)
100 Butterfly Championships
16th - Gracie Saulman - 56.06 / 1 point
200 Freestyle Championships
2nd - Marcella Ribeiro - 1:48.13 / 17 points - program record
16th - Kayleigh Witt - 1:54.05 / 1 point (1:51.71 in prelims - 8th in program history)
100 Breaststroke Championships
3rd - Alex Bader - 1:01.74 / 16 points (1:01.69 in prelims - 2nd in program history)
T-7th - Laura Wright - 1:03.19 / 11.50 points (1:02.59 in prelims - 4th in program history)
12th - Alexa McDonald - 1:03.58 / 5 points (1:03.54 in prelims)
T-14th - Cailin Merck - 1:04.22 / 2.50 points (1:04.20 in prelims - 10th in program history)
100 Backstroke Championships
10th - Audrey Schank - 55.13 / 7 points - 3rd in program history
11th - Shelby Crist - 55.14 / 6 points - 4th in program history
3-Meter Diving Championships - Consolation Finals
13th - Madison Gatzlaff - 232.05
3-Meter Diving Championships - Championship Finals (Held Saturday)
Riley Bullock - 242.70 in prelims
800 Freestyle Relay Championships
7th - Marcella Ribeiro, Kayleigh Witt, Mary Kate Phillips, Katie Walker - 7:31.15 / 24 points - 5th in program history
Friday Morning Preliminary Rounds (competitors not advancing to finals)
100 Butterfly Prelims
17th - Sydney Dygert - 56.29
20th - Shelby Crist - 57.12
22nd - Phoebe Rensink - 57.40
EXH - Meri Gray - 58.82
200 Freestyle Prelims
27th - Mary Kate Phillips - 1:54.44
EXH - Elizabeth King - 1:55.52
EXH - MaKayla Miller - 1:56.64
EXH - Kya Pawli - 1:56.66
100 Breaststroke Prelims
19th - Jenn Gillen - 1:04.72
EXH - Abbie McCarter - 1:04.63
100 Backstroke Prelims
17th - Apsara Sakbun - 56.62 - 9th in program history
22nd - Jessie Fraley - 57.60
EHX: Cecilia Moore - 57.62
EXH: Meri Gray - 58.86
3-Meter Diving Prelims
24th - Caitlin Locante - 207.95
The Cardinals made sure it was not another seven years for the next, as two individuals and one relay reached the podium Friday evening on the second of three days at the 2021 MAC Championships.
After a morning preliminary round which saw another Ribeiro program record and the Cardinals send at least one individual to the finals in each of the six individual events, it was a strong relay which got the Cardinals off and running Friday night.
Senior Audrey Schank led off the 200 medley relay with an impressive 50 back time of 25.46 and the Cardinals never looked back. Senior Alex Bader followed in 28.37 in the 50 breaststroke, sophomore Shelby Crist clocked a 50 butterfly time of 24.99 and sophomore Apsara Sakbun closed it out with a 50 freestyle effort of 22.43.
The combined time, 1:41.25, to earn the relay a bronze medal for a third-place effort, as well as the fourth-fastest time in program history.
That was just the start of a great evening which saw the Cardinals score 132 points as a team and climb to fifth in the overall standings with 213 total points heading into Saturday's final day of competition.
One day after earning bronze in the 500 freestyle, Ribeiro picked up her second individual medal of the meet, only making it a silver this time around. Her time of 1:48.13 in the 200 freestyle was the second-fastest of the meet and was another program record.
However, the most impressive performance of the day came in the 100 breaststroke as the Cardinals sent four swimmers to the finals, including two in the championship heat. Leading the list was Bader who picked up her second bronze medal of the day by finishing in third at 1:01.74.
Freshman Laura Wright was not far behind, tying for seventh in 1:03.19. In the consolation finals, junior Alexa McDonald placed 12th (1:03.58) and senior Cailin Merck took tied for 14th (1:04.22), helping the Cardinals score 35 total points in the event.
The big individual swims did not start there, however, as junior Katie Walker opened the second evening of individual events with the second-fastest time in program history in the 400 IM to place 10th overall at 4:24.14. Freshman Sophia Kuehn also made it to the finals, taking 16th in 4:33.45.
Sophomore Gracie Saulman represented Ball State in the 100 butterfly, placing 16th in 56.06, which was just shy of breaking into the top 10 in program history.
In the final individual swimming event of the day, Schank turned in another impressive performance with a 10th-place time of 55.13 to move into third on the BSU all-time list. Right behind her was Crist, who touched the wall in 55.14 to take 11th and fourth in Ball State's record book.
The Cardinals also had a pair of divers advance to the finals on the 3-meter board, led by freshman Riley Bullock who is the eighth seed in Saturday's championship round of the event. Sophomore Madison Gatzlaff competed in Friday night's consolation round, placing 13th with a score of 232.05.
Rounding out a great day of competition was a seventh-place showing in the 800 freestyle relay, as Ribeiro, freshman Kayleigh Witt, freshman Mary Kate Phillips and Walker combined for a time of 7:31.15 which was good enough to rank fifth in program history.
The Cardinals look for another big day Saturday, when it closes competition at the 2021 MAC Championships with action in the 1650 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, championship heat of 3-meter diving and the 400 freestyle relay.
Prelims begin at 10:30 a.m., with finals starting at 6:10 p.m.
Team Standings After 13 Events
1. Akron - 506
2. Buffalo - 494
3. Miami - 311.5
4. Ohio - 262
5. Ball State - 213
6. Eastern Michigan - 204
7. Toledo - 180
8. Bowling Green - 168.5
200 Medley Relay Championships
3rd - Audrey Schank (25.46), Alex Bader (28.37), Shelby Crist (24.99), Apsara Sakbun (22.43) - 1:41.25 / 32 points - 4th in program history
400 IM Championships
10th - Katie Walker - 4:24.14 / 7 points - 2nd in program history
16th - Sophia Kuehn - 4:33.45 / 1 point (4:27.37 in prelims - 8th in program history)
100 Butterfly Championships
16th - Gracie Saulman - 56.06 / 1 point
200 Freestyle Championships
2nd - Marcella Ribeiro - 1:48.13 / 17 points - program record
16th - Kayleigh Witt - 1:54.05 / 1 point (1:51.71 in prelims - 8th in program history)
100 Breaststroke Championships
3rd - Alex Bader - 1:01.74 / 16 points (1:01.69 in prelims - 2nd in program history)
T-7th - Laura Wright - 1:03.19 / 11.50 points (1:02.59 in prelims - 4th in program history)
12th - Alexa McDonald - 1:03.58 / 5 points (1:03.54 in prelims)
T-14th - Cailin Merck - 1:04.22 / 2.50 points (1:04.20 in prelims - 10th in program history)
100 Backstroke Championships
10th - Audrey Schank - 55.13 / 7 points - 3rd in program history
11th - Shelby Crist - 55.14 / 6 points - 4th in program history
3-Meter Diving Championships - Consolation Finals
13th - Madison Gatzlaff - 232.05
3-Meter Diving Championships - Championship Finals (Held Saturday)
Riley Bullock - 242.70 in prelims
800 Freestyle Relay Championships
7th - Marcella Ribeiro, Kayleigh Witt, Mary Kate Phillips, Katie Walker - 7:31.15 / 24 points - 5th in program history
Friday Morning Preliminary Rounds (competitors not advancing to finals)
100 Butterfly Prelims
17th - Sydney Dygert - 56.29
20th - Shelby Crist - 57.12
22nd - Phoebe Rensink - 57.40
EXH - Meri Gray - 58.82
200 Freestyle Prelims
27th - Mary Kate Phillips - 1:54.44
EXH - Elizabeth King - 1:55.52
EXH - MaKayla Miller - 1:56.64
EXH - Kya Pawli - 1:56.66
100 Breaststroke Prelims
19th - Jenn Gillen - 1:04.72
EXH - Abbie McCarter - 1:04.63
100 Backstroke Prelims
17th - Apsara Sakbun - 56.62 - 9th in program history
22nd - Jessie Fraley - 57.60
EHX: Cecilia Moore - 57.62
EXH: Meri Gray - 58.86
3-Meter Diving Prelims
24th - Caitlin Locante - 207.95
Players Mentioned
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Dive
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back, Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast, Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Dive
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back, Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Fly, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back, Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and DivingBall State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01
Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses NCAA vs. House Settlement & Bill Richards Thank You
Friday, June 27
Sports Link: Cardinal Cribs (Women's Swimming)
Wednesday, April 16
Athletics // One Ball State Day - Help our athletics continue to thrive
Friday, March 28