Women’s S&D Caps MAC Championships With Fifth Program Record

Women’s S&D Caps MAC Championships With Fifth Program Record

February 25, 2023 | Women's Swimming and Diving

OXFORD, Ohio - - Ball State closed the 2023 Mid-American Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championships just like it started Saturday evening, registering its fifth program record over the four-day meet.

It was a solid overall championship for the Cardinals, which tallied its most points since the 2013 championships and tied for the best finish since a fourth-place effort in 2005. Overall, Ball State's swimmers and divers combined to score 339 points to take fifth overall.

In addition, for their second-place finishes over the four-day meet, freshman Payton Kelly and junior Marcella Ribeiro earned Second Team All-MAC honors.

Ball State's final program record came in the meet's last event with the 400 freestyle relay quartet of Kelly, senior Apsara Sakbun, Ribeiro, and sophomore Gracey Payne breaking the program record set at least years championships finishing in 3:21.74.

That was not the only highlight of the day for Ribeiro, however, as she earned her second career silver medal with a second-place time of 16:44.97 in the 1650 freestyle. Following close behind in the longest race of the meet was freshman Callie Tuma who won her heat in 16:46.46.

Tuma's time is the second fastest in program history. Freshman Kiran Stauffer also finished with a career-best time of 17:00.39 for the fifth-best mark in school history.

In the 100 freestyle finals, Kelly added another fantastic swim to her week, finishing third with a final touch of 49.81. Her time is the second-best in program history. Close behind was A. Sakbun in her last individual event, finishing at 50.60 for sixth in program history.

Sophomore Lilia Newkirk continued her great championship with another top time, this time in the 200 backstroke finals. Her effort of 2:00.11 is the third-fastest in program history. In the prelims, freshman Alyssa Messenger had a career-best day, touching at 2:01.93 for the fifth-fastest mark in program history.

In the 200 breaststroke preliminaries, junior Laura Wright and senior Jenn Gillen had the best times of their careers. Wright placed fourth at 2:14.04 for the second-best mark in program history, while Gillen placed 12th at 2:17.87 for the fifth-fastest effort on BSU's all-time list.

Rounding out Ball State's Saturday scorers was sophomore Ashleigh Provan who placed eighth on the 3M diving board with a score of 253.80.

Provan is slated to return to action at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships held March 9-11 in Bloomington, Indiana. She will be joined by freshman Maddy Hischer, with both divers owning zone qualifying scores on the 1M and 3M boards.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Akron – 778.5
2. Buffalo – 641
3. Miami – 535
4. Ohio – 529.5
5. Ball State - 339
6. EMU – 302
7. Toledo – 215
8. Bowling Green – 121

BALL STATE SATURDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCES

200 Backstroke
11^th - Lilia Newkirk – 2:00.11 (3^rd in program history)
15^th - Alyssa Messenger – 2:02.28
16^th - Jessie Fraley – 2:03.57

100 Freestyle
3^rd - Payton Kelly – 49.81 (2^nd in program history)
10^th - Apsara Sakbun – 50.60 (6^th in program history)

200 Breaststroke
7^th - Laura Wright – 2:15.54
16^th - Jenn Gillen – 2:19.10

1650 Free
2^nd - Marcella Ribeiro – 16:44.97
3^rd - Callie Tuma – 16:46.46 (2^nd in program history)
11^th - Kiran Stauffer – 17:00.39 (5^th in program history)

3M Diving
8^th - Ashleigh Provan – 253.80

400 Freestyle Relay
4^th - Payton Kelly, Apsara Sakbun, Marcella Ribeiro, Gracey Payne – 3:21.74 (Program Record)

BALL STATE SATURDAY'S PRELIM PERFORMANCES

200 Backstroke
13^th - Lilia Newkirk – 2:01.56
14^th - Alyssa Messenger – 2:01.93 (5^th in program history)
15^th - Jessie Fraley – 2:02.47
21^st - Sophia Kuehn – 2:05.57
23^rd - Shelby Crist – 2:07.60

100 Freestyle
8^th - Payton Kelly – 50.38
15^th - Apsara Sakbun – 50.98
19^th - Gracey Payne – 51.48
21^st - Elizabeth King – 51.62
EXH - Haley Sakbun – 51.91
EXH - MaKayla Miller – 54.23
EXH - Emma Horton – 54.53

200 Breaststroke
4^th - Laura Wright – 2:14.04 (2^nd in program history)
12^th - Jenn Gillen – 2:17.87 (5^th in program history)
29^th - Kenzie Pierce - 2:22.20

200 Butterfly
17^th - Phoebe Rensink – 2:04.83
18^th - Sydney Dygert – 2:05.10
21^st - Callie Tuma – 2:06.53
EXH - Mary Kate Phillips – 2:13.86