Ball State University Athletics

Women’s S&D Earns Seven Event Wins in Dual versus EMU
January 22, 2022 | Women's Swimming and Diving
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - - The Ball State women's swimming & diving team earned seven event wins Saturday afternoon at Canham Natatorium, but it was not enough claim victory in a 167-133 setback to Eastern Michigan.
While the Cardinals (2-2; 1-2 Mid-American Conference) were able to win four of the five individual freestyle events and sweep the breaststroke swims, the Eagles (2-2; 2-1 MAC) secured the victory late in the meet with wins in the final four events.
"Freestyle was big for us today," head coach J. Agnew said. "It's great to get wins in both the sprints and distance events considering how different and unique the training programs are for these events. It shows how important it is to train student-athletes according to their individual strengths for the overall benefit of the team!
Sophomore Marcella Ribeiro continued to swim strong in the distance freestyle, starting with a winning time of 10:18.75 in the 1000. She would go on to lead a strong Ball State effort in the 500 freestyle later in the meet, clocking in with a winning time of 5:04.26.
In addition to winning the two longest individual freestyle events, the Cardinals secured the top spot in the two shortest with junior Apsara Sakbun winning the 50 in 23.88 and freshman Gracey Payne taking top billing in the 100 in 52.62.
Ball State opened the meet by winning the 200 medley relay, as freshman Hannah Jones, senior Alex Bader, junior Shelby Crist and Sakbun combined for a time of 1:45.04.
Bader would go on to win the 100 breaststroke later in the meet with a time of 1:04.80, while Ball State's final event victory came from senior Laura Wright in the 200 breaststroke at 2:20.19.
"Alex and Laura are great compliments to each other," Agnew added. "Alex's speed and Laura's endurance allows them to challenge and push each other in different dynamics to become more complete racers. The fact that they are both extremely competitive and hard working provides a mutual respect for one another as they continue to lead our team forward!"
The Ball State women's swimming & diving team returns to action Friday, when it joins the men for a noon swim at Bellarmine. The women's squad will also host Buffalo at 11 a.m. next Saturday for senior day.
Ball State Individual Results vs. Eastern Michigan
200 Medley Relay
1st – Hannah Jones, Alex Bader, Shelby Crist, Apsara Sakbun – 1:45.04
3rd – Laura Wright, Lilia Newkirk, Alexa McDonald, Phoebe Rensink – 1:48.53
5th – Gracie Saulman, Eliza Bader, Meri Gray, Abbie McCarter – 1:50.43
1000 Freestyle
1st – Marcella Ribeiro – 10:18.75
4th – Katie Walker – 11:05.78
5th – Jenn Gillen – 11:19.00
200 Freestyle
4th – Gracey Payne – 1:55.65
5th – Kayleigh Witt – 1:55.71
6th – Mary Kate Phillips – 1:57.99
7th – Jessie Fraley – 1:59.86
100 Backstroke
2nd – Hannah Jones – 57.06
3rd – Shelby Crist – 57.31
5th – Lilia Newkirk – 58.22
7th – Meri Gray – 1:00.85
100 Breaststroke
1st – Alex Bader – 1:04.80
2nd – Laura Wright – 1:05.29
5th – Abbie McCarter – 1:08.82
6th – Gracie Saulman – 1:09.77
200 Butterfly
4th – Sydney Dygert – 2:11.59
5th – Phoebe Rensink – 2:11.78
6th – Sophia Kuehn – 2:11.99
50 Freestyle
1st – Apsara Sakbun – 23.88
3rd – Alexa McDonald – 24.53
5th – Elizabeth King – 24.97
6th – Eliza Bader – 25.56
EXH – MaKayla Miller – 25.27
EXH – Emma Horton – 25.99
3-Meter Diving
3rd – Ashleigh Provan – 268.50
5th – Madison Gatzlaff – 255.68
100 Freestyle
1st – Gracey Payne – 52.62
2nd – Apsara Sakbun – 53.24
4th – Alexa McDonald – 53.83
6th – Elizabeth King – 54.78
EXH – Kayleigh Witt – 53.87
EXH – MaKayla Miller – 55.45
EXH – Emma Horton – 57.41
200 Backstroke
3rd – Lilia Newkirk – 2:07.02
4th – Jessie Fraley – 2:07.27
5th – Shelby Crist – 2:11.68
7th – Meri Gray – 2:16.61
200 Breaststroke
1st – Laura Wright – 2:20.19
3rd – Alex Bader – 2:24.00
5th – Jenn Gillen – 2:27.41
500 Freestyle
1st – Marcella Ribeiro – 5:04.26
3rd – Mary Kate Phillips – 5:11.13
7th – Katie Walker – 5:27.45
100 Butterfly
2nd – Hannah Jones – 57.14
5th – Phoebe Rensink – 59.55
6th – Eliza Bader – 1:00.91
7th – Abbie McCarter – 1:02.76
1-Meter Diving
4th - Ashleigh Provan – 256.28
6th - Maddie Gleave – 239.48
7th - Madison Gatzlaff – 224.25
200 IM
4th - Sophia Kuehn – 2:10.01
6th - Sydney Dygert – 2:14.70
7th - Gracie Saulman – 2:15.75
8th - Laura Wright – 2:17.97
400 Freestyle Relay
2nd – Apsara Sakbun, Hannah Jones, Alexa McDonald, Gracey Payne – 3:32.52
3rd – Marcella Ribeiro, Elizabeth King, Alex Bader, Kayleigh Witt – 3:38.37
While the Cardinals (2-2; 1-2 Mid-American Conference) were able to win four of the five individual freestyle events and sweep the breaststroke swims, the Eagles (2-2; 2-1 MAC) secured the victory late in the meet with wins in the final four events.
"Freestyle was big for us today," head coach J. Agnew said. "It's great to get wins in both the sprints and distance events considering how different and unique the training programs are for these events. It shows how important it is to train student-athletes according to their individual strengths for the overall benefit of the team!
Sophomore Marcella Ribeiro continued to swim strong in the distance freestyle, starting with a winning time of 10:18.75 in the 1000. She would go on to lead a strong Ball State effort in the 500 freestyle later in the meet, clocking in with a winning time of 5:04.26.
In addition to winning the two longest individual freestyle events, the Cardinals secured the top spot in the two shortest with junior Apsara Sakbun winning the 50 in 23.88 and freshman Gracey Payne taking top billing in the 100 in 52.62.
Ball State opened the meet by winning the 200 medley relay, as freshman Hannah Jones, senior Alex Bader, junior Shelby Crist and Sakbun combined for a time of 1:45.04.
Bader would go on to win the 100 breaststroke later in the meet with a time of 1:04.80, while Ball State's final event victory came from senior Laura Wright in the 200 breaststroke at 2:20.19.
"Alex and Laura are great compliments to each other," Agnew added. "Alex's speed and Laura's endurance allows them to challenge and push each other in different dynamics to become more complete racers. The fact that they are both extremely competitive and hard working provides a mutual respect for one another as they continue to lead our team forward!"
The Ball State women's swimming & diving team returns to action Friday, when it joins the men for a noon swim at Bellarmine. The women's squad will also host Buffalo at 11 a.m. next Saturday for senior day.
Ball State Individual Results vs. Eastern Michigan
200 Medley Relay
1st – Hannah Jones, Alex Bader, Shelby Crist, Apsara Sakbun – 1:45.04
3rd – Laura Wright, Lilia Newkirk, Alexa McDonald, Phoebe Rensink – 1:48.53
5th – Gracie Saulman, Eliza Bader, Meri Gray, Abbie McCarter – 1:50.43
1000 Freestyle
1st – Marcella Ribeiro – 10:18.75
4th – Katie Walker – 11:05.78
5th – Jenn Gillen – 11:19.00
200 Freestyle
4th – Gracey Payne – 1:55.65
5th – Kayleigh Witt – 1:55.71
6th – Mary Kate Phillips – 1:57.99
7th – Jessie Fraley – 1:59.86
100 Backstroke
2nd – Hannah Jones – 57.06
3rd – Shelby Crist – 57.31
5th – Lilia Newkirk – 58.22
7th – Meri Gray – 1:00.85
100 Breaststroke
1st – Alex Bader – 1:04.80
2nd – Laura Wright – 1:05.29
5th – Abbie McCarter – 1:08.82
6th – Gracie Saulman – 1:09.77
200 Butterfly
4th – Sydney Dygert – 2:11.59
5th – Phoebe Rensink – 2:11.78
6th – Sophia Kuehn – 2:11.99
50 Freestyle
1st – Apsara Sakbun – 23.88
3rd – Alexa McDonald – 24.53
5th – Elizabeth King – 24.97
6th – Eliza Bader – 25.56
EXH – MaKayla Miller – 25.27
EXH – Emma Horton – 25.99
3-Meter Diving
3rd – Ashleigh Provan – 268.50
5th – Madison Gatzlaff – 255.68
100 Freestyle
1st – Gracey Payne – 52.62
2nd – Apsara Sakbun – 53.24
4th – Alexa McDonald – 53.83
6th – Elizabeth King – 54.78
EXH – Kayleigh Witt – 53.87
EXH – MaKayla Miller – 55.45
EXH – Emma Horton – 57.41
200 Backstroke
3rd – Lilia Newkirk – 2:07.02
4th – Jessie Fraley – 2:07.27
5th – Shelby Crist – 2:11.68
7th – Meri Gray – 2:16.61
200 Breaststroke
1st – Laura Wright – 2:20.19
3rd – Alex Bader – 2:24.00
5th – Jenn Gillen – 2:27.41
500 Freestyle
1st – Marcella Ribeiro – 5:04.26
3rd – Mary Kate Phillips – 5:11.13
7th – Katie Walker – 5:27.45
100 Butterfly
2nd – Hannah Jones – 57.14
5th – Phoebe Rensink – 59.55
6th – Eliza Bader – 1:00.91
7th – Abbie McCarter – 1:02.76
1-Meter Diving
4th - Ashleigh Provan – 256.28
6th - Maddie Gleave – 239.48
7th - Madison Gatzlaff – 224.25
200 IM
4th - Sophia Kuehn – 2:10.01
6th - Sydney Dygert – 2:14.70
7th - Gracie Saulman – 2:15.75
8th - Laura Wright – 2:17.97
400 Freestyle Relay
2nd – Apsara Sakbun, Hannah Jones, Alexa McDonald, Gracey Payne – 3:32.52
3rd – Marcella Ribeiro, Elizabeth King, Alex Bader, Kayleigh Witt – 3:38.37
Players Mentioned
Heart of the Cardinal Podcast // Haley Sakbun of Women's Swim and Dive
Wednesday, October 29
Heart of the Cardinal Podcast: October Show - Guests: Haley Sakbun & Julia Verratti
Friday, October 24
Homecoming // Cardinal Sinners! Presented by Gameday Spirit
Friday, October 17
Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell discusses the NCAA vs. House Settlement
Tuesday, July 01

































