Garberick Wins MAC Title in 100 Breaststroke on Day 2 of MAC Championships

OXFORD, Ohio - - For the first time since the 2006 season, the Ball State men's swimming & diving program has a Mid-American Conference event champion.

Freshman Joey Garberick made sure the second day of the 2021 MAC Championships was a memorable one for not only himself, but his teammates as well by taking home the event title in the 100 breaststroke.

"Joey has been a game changer for our program," head coach J Agnew said. "He has been all-in from day one and is constantly looking for ways to improve. His passion and work ethic is contagious to everyone around him."

Garberick entered Friday night's event finals as the early favorite after recording the fastest preliminary round time with a program-record swim of 54.29. He would go on to out-do himself in the finals, smashing his earlier time and finishing in 53.99. It was .20 faster than the second-place finisher Michael Hampel from Missouri State.

With the effort, Garberick becomes Ball State's first MAC individual champion since the 2006 season when Kurtis Leer swept the freestyle relay events (50, 100 and 200). He also becomes just the second swimmer in program history to win the 100 breaststroke, joining 1979 champion Steve Byrne who won the event in 57.52.

"I would lke to thank all of our alumni who have sacrificed and fought for the opportunity for this to happen," Agnew added. "Thank you to our administration who has stood by this program and given us everything we need to build MAC Champions!"

That was not the only big swim on the day for Garberick, however, as he opened the second day of competition by joining the 200 medley relay for a program record time of 1:29.44. Sophomore Jared Holder opened the relay with a 50 back time of 22.50. Garberick followed with a 50 breaststroke time of 24.46. Sophomore Bryce Handshoe turned in a 50 fly effort of 22.13, while sophomore Jack Wolfred anchored in the 50 free at 20.35.

Overall, the Ball State men's swimming & diving team broke seven program records in Friday action, including two in the preliminary round and five in the championship round (with two coming in the same events as the morning records). The Cardinals also earned three individual top eight efforts.

"Our Cardinals set school records in five different events today," Agnew added. "Including the relays, it took nine different swimmers to achieve that feat. This team is tough, scrappy and in it 100% together. I am looking forward to another big day tomorrow."

Freshman Zach Zishka accounted for two of the program records, starting with a time of 3:59.59 in the prelims of the 400 IM. He followed by placing sixth in the finals in 3:58.51. Zishka is the first swimmer in program history to go sub-4:00 in the 400 IM, as the previous school record was 4:02.26 by Louwrens Appelcryn in 2000.

Ball State's fifth individual program record came in the 100 backstroke, when sophomore Jared Holder took fourth in 48.32, besting his own mark set at least season's MAC Championships.

The Cardinals rounded out the second day of competition with a seventh school record, as senior Davis Meyn, sophomore Landyn Riester, senior Drew Weeks and sophomore Aiden Maurer combined for a time of 6:39.96 in the 800 freestyle relay.

It was the second big swim of the day for Meyn, who also led the Cardinals in the 200 freestyle by winning the consolation heat in 1:39.14 for the third-fastest mark in the Ball State record books.
Rounding out BSU's top competitors was Handshoe who tied for 12th in the 100 butterfly at 49.94.

Competition in the 2021 MAC Men's Swimming & Diving Championships concludes tomorrow with action in the 1650 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 3-meter diving and 400 freestyle relay.

Preliminary round action starts at 10:30 a.m., while the finals get underway at 6:40 p.m.

Team Standings After 13 Events
1st - Miami - 629 points
2nd - Missouri State - 447 points
3rd - Southern Illinois - 384.50 points
4th - Ball State - 309.50 points
5th - Evansville - 199 points

200 Medley Relay
3rd - Jared Holder (22.50), Joey Garberick (24.46), Bryce Handshoe (22.13), Jack Wolfred (20.35) - 1:29.44 / 32 points - Program Record

400 IM Championship
6th - Zach Zishka - 3:58.51 / 13 points - Program Record (3:59.59 in prelims was a program record at the time)
14th - Dillon Freiberger - 4:09.25 / 3 points
16th - Zachary Moody - 4:16.30 / 1 point (4:11.21 in prelims)

100 Butterfly Championship
T-12th - Bryce Handshoe - 49.94 / 4.50 points
16th - Duncan McLarty - 50.89 / 1 point

200 Freestyle Championship
9th - Davis Meyn - 1:39.14 / 9 points - 3rd in program history
13th - Aiden Maurer - 1:40.19 / 4 points
14th - Drew Weeks - 1:40.46 / 3 points
15th - Landyn Riester - 1:40.52 / 2 points (1:40.38 in prelims - 7th in program history)

100 Breaststroke
1st - Joey Garberick - 53.99 / 20 points - Program Record (54.29 in prelims was a program record at the time) - Ball State's first individual MAC Champion since 2006
12th - Noah Berryman - 57.47 / 5 points
14th - Jack Wolfred - 57.87 / 3 points (57.07 in prelims)

100 Backstroke
4th - Jared Holder - 48.32 / 15 points - Program Record

800 Freestyle Relay
4th - Davis Meyn (1:39.28), Landyn Riester (1:40.93), Drew Weeks (1:39.62), Aiden Maurer (1:40.13) - 6:39.96 / 30 points - Program Record

Friday Morning Preliminary Rounds (swimmers not advancing to finals)

400 IM Prelims
EXH - Bennet Witteveen - 4:15.38

100 Butterfly Prelims
17th - Jackson Ketcham - 51.09
19th - Owen Chaye - 53.30
EXH - Bryan Lower - 51.71
EXH - Ryan Jackowiak - 55.32

200 Freestyle Prelims
17th - Ryan Short - 1:40.94
EXH - Patrick White - 1:42.09

100 Breaststroke Prelims
EXH - Ryan Jackowiak - 1:00.49

100 Backstroke Prelims
EXH - Philip Choroser - 53.24
EXH - Bryan Lower - 53.28

Garberick Wins MAC Title in 100 Breaststroke on Day 2 of MAC Championships

Players Mentioned

Noah Berryman

Owen Chaye

Philip Choroser

Dillon Freiberger

Joey Garberick

Bryce Handshoe

Jared Holder

Ryan Jackowiak

Jackson Ketcham

Bryan Lower

Aiden Maurer

Duncan McLarty

Davis Meyn

Zachary Moody

Landyn Riester

Ryan Short

Drew Weeks

Patrick White

Bennet Witteveen

Jack Wolfred

Zach Zishka

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