Men's S&D Travels To Miami For MAC Championships

MUNCIE, Ind. - - After months of training, the Ball State men's swimming & diving program will put all its preparation to the test this week at the Miami Aquatic Center for the 2023 Mid-American Conference Swimming & Diving Championships.

Action in the four-day meet begins Wednesday (Mar. 1) with a pair of relay swims. Individual action gets underway Thursday (Mar. 2) and will run through Saturday (Mar. 4).

Live results will be available on meet mobile, while links for live video coverage will be provided on the official championship website: https://getsomemaction.com/tournaments/?id=191&path=mswim

2023 MAC Men's Swimming & Diving Championship Schedule

Wednesday, Mar. 1	Thursday, Mar. 2	Friday, Mar. 3	Saturday, Mar. 4
Finals - 6 p.m.	Prelims - 10:30 a.m. (Doors open at 9:30 a.m.)	Prelims - 10:30 a.m. (Doors open at 9:30 a.m.)	Prelims - 10:30 a.m. (Doors open at 9:30 a.m.)
200 Medley Relay	500 Freestyle	100 Butterfly	200 Backstroke
800 Freestyle Relay	200 IM	400 IM	100 Freestyle
	50 Freestyle	200 Freestyle	200 Breaststroke
	Prelims – 12:30 p.m.	100 Breaststroke	200 Butterfly
	1M Diving	100 Backstroke	Finals - 4:10 p.m. (Doors open at 3:30)
	Finals - 6 p.m. (Doors open at 5 p.m.)	Prelims – 12:30 p.m.	1650 Freestyle - First Heat of Time Finals
	500 Freestyle - Consolation & Championship Heats	3M Diving	Finals - 6 p.m.
	200 IM Consolation & Championship Heats	Finals – 6 p.m. (Doors open at 5 p.m.)	1650 Freestyle - Championship Heat
	50 Freestyle Consolation & Championship Heats	100 Butterfly Consolation & Championship Heats	200 Backstroke Consolation & Championship Heats
	Finals – 7:15 p.m.	400 IM Consolation & Championship Heats	100 Freestyle Consolation & Championship Heats
	1M Diving Finals	200 Freestyle Consolation & Championship Heats	200 Breaststroke Consolation & Championship Heats
	200 Freestyle Relay Championship Heat	100 Breaststroke Consolation & Championship Heats	200 Butterfly Consolation & Championship Heats
		100 Backstroke Consolation & Championship Heats	Finals – 8 p.m.
		Finals – 7:45 p.m.	3M Diving – Finals
		3M Diving - Consolation	400 Freestyle Relay
		400 Medley Relay Finals

Ball State will be looking to build upon last season's MAC Championship meet in which it broke five program records and won a combined eight medals.

Overall, the Cardinals have been trending upwards under the leadership of fifth-year head coach J. Agnew, including tallying 428.5 total points at last season's meet. It was the program's second-highest point total at the MAC Championships since 2005, trailing only the 511.50 scored in 2021.

Junior Joey Garberick has won the 100 breaststroke in back-to-back seasons for the Cardinals and is eyeing a three peat at this year's event. Garberick's title in 2021 was Ball State's first MAC individual swimming champion since 2006.

AT THE 2022 MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Ball State finished the 2022 MAC Championships with five program records and a combined eight medals. The Cardinals earned 428.5 points to place fourth among the six-team field at the Shea Natatorium.

The first addition to the record book came on opening night with Reece Manning, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, and Owen Chaye combining for a time of 1:28.02, breaking the program record for the second straight year in the 200 medley relay.

On day two, Chaye and Garberick both came away with individual program records as well. Throughout the 50 freestyle the two teammates went back and forth trying to claim the top time in BSU history.

In the morning prelims, Chaye broke the 1995 record touching at 20.22. Later that night, Garberick would finish .01 faster at 20.21 in the consolation finals. In the championship heat, Chaye re-claimed the top spot finishing third overall at 20.11 for BSU's first medal of the weekend.

To close out day two, Chaye, Jack Wolfred, Garberick, and Patrick White brought home another bronze medal in the 200 freestyle relay topping the oldest program record from 1993 with a time of 1:20.38.

The highlight of the weekend came on day three in the 100 breaststroke when Joey Garberick defended his MAC title to make it back-to-back championship performances. Garberick's finish at 53.62 was a program record, and an NCAA B Cut.

To close the meet Garberick would have a hand in setting another record by swimming the second leg of the 400 Medley Relay. Manning swam the first leg, while Handshoe and Chaye swam the final two, helping the quartet secure third with a program-record time of 3:15.16.

2022-23 PROGRAM RECORDS:
While program records tend to come fast and furious at the MAC Championships, the Cardinals have already set four program records this season.

Three of those records came at the Miami Invitational (Dec. 1-3) and involved senior Owen Chaye. Individually, Chaye broke the program record in the 50 freestyle twice, eventually settling in at 19.91 with his opening split of the 200 freestyle relay.

That effort helped Chaye, Jack Wolfred, Jacob Siewers, and Joey Garberick break the relay record with a time of 1:20.21.

Chaye would close out the meet with another program record, this time clocking a 44.36 in the 100 freestyle.

Ball State's other program record came from senior diver Wyatt Blake, who posted a 3M score of 359.25 in the prelims of the Miami Classic.

IN THE MAC RANKINGS – MEN:
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have 11 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into the MAC Championships.

The two-time defending MAC 100 breaststroke champion Joey Garberick is BSU's top-ranked swimmer, holding the number one spot with his time of 54.62.

MEN'S SWIMMERS CURRENTLY RANKED IN THE MAC TOP 16:
50 Free: 3 Owen Chaye (19.91), 9 Joey Garberick (20.55), 10 Jacob Siewers (20.57), 11 Jack Wolfred (20.58)
100 Free: 4 Owen Chaye (44.36), 10 Jacob Siewers (45.02)
200 Free: 13 Jacob Siewers (1:39.87), 16 Owen Chaye (1:40.43)
1650 Free: 10 Zach Zishka (16:11.72), 12 Alexander Eddy (16:21.83), 13 Zachary Moody (16:27.66)
100 Back: 11 Joey Garberick (50.22), 13 Ethan Pheifer (50.24), 14 Reece Manning (50.28)
200 Back: 10 Maxim Kruglov (1:50.62)
100 Breast: 1 Joey Garberick (54.62)
200 Breast: 6 Joey Garberick (2:01.79)
100 Fly: 7 Bryce Handshoe (48.89)
200 Fly: 7 Bryce Handshoe (1:49.33)
400 IM: 9 Maxim Kruglov (4:01.63), 13 Zach Zishka (4:03.72)
200 Free Relay: 2 Ball State (1:20.21)
400 Free Relay: 4 Ball State (3:01.24)
800 Free Relay: 5 Ball State (6:48.77)
200 Medley Relay: 3 Ball State (1:28.60)
400 Medley Relay: 5. Ball State (3:16.55)

MAC AWARD WINNERS:
So far this season, the Cardinals have four MAC awards, with freshman Porter Brovont and Wyatt Blake earning MAC Men's Diver of the Week honors and Owen Chaye winning MAC Men's Swimmer of the Week on two occasions.

Chaye's first award came Dec. 8, when he set three program records at the Miami Invitational (Dec. 1-3). Those records came in the 50 free (19.91), the 100 free (44.36), and in the 200 freestyle relay (1:20.21). Chaye picked up his second award after claiming two individual event wins and a relay victory over a pair of meets (Jan. 28-29).

Brovont's award came after a dual versus Southern Illinois (Jan. 14) where he won 1-meter diving (301.30) and had a second-place finish in 3-meter diving (306.50). His 1-meter diving score was the 10th-best individual score in program history and a NCAA Zone Diving qualifying mark.

Blake's award came after dominating the diving well and winning all four events in a diving only dual meet versus Anderson (Jan. 28) and the Butler Invite (Jan. 29). He started by picking up wins on both the 1M (293.63) and 3M (318.83) boards versus Anderson and followed with additional wins in the 1M (286.5) and 3M (305.6) the next day at the Butler Invite.

EVENT WINNERS:
As a squad, the Cardinals have chalked up 47 individual wins and eight relay victories so far this season. Senior Owen Chaye leads the pack with 10 individual event victories including a win in the 200 freestyle (1:43.74) last time out at Valparaiso.

2022-23 MEN'S INDIVIDUAL EVENT WINNERS (47 TOTAL WINS):
10 - Owen Chaye (Sr.)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 200 Free (1:43.47)
            11/11 at IUPUI - 50 Free (20.59) / 100 Free (45.12)
            12/1 at Miami Invitational – 50 Free (20.05)
            1/14 vs. Southern Illinois (at Indiana State) – 50 Free (20.90)
            1/21 vs. Miami – 50 Free (20.72) / 100 Free (45.82)
            1/28 vs Bellarmine – 50 Free (20.72)
            1/29 at Butler Invite – 100 Free (45.67)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 200 Free (1:43.74)

9 - Joey Garberick (Jr.)
            10/22 at Indiana Intercollegiates - 100 IM (51.01)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 200 Breast (2:07.73)
            1/14 vs. Southern Illinois (at Indiana State) – 100 Breast (55.62) / 200 Breast (2:04.57)
            1/21 vs. Miami – 100 Breast (55.49) / 200 Breast (2:04.19)
            1/28 vs Bellarmine – 100 Free (47.26) / 200 IM (1:55.77)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 100 Back (50.22)

6 – Wyatt Blake (Sr.)
            1/21 vs Miami – 1M Diving (297.30)
            1/28 vs. Anderson – 1M Diving (293.63) / 3M Diving (318.83)
            1/29 at Butler Invite – 1M Diving (286.50) / 3M Diving (305.60)
            2/11 at Miami Classic – 3M Diving (351.10)

4 - Jack Wolfred (Sr.)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 100 Free (46.79) / 100 Breast (1:00.05)
            1/28 vs Bellarmine – 100 Breast (59.78)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 50 Free (21.21)

3 - Logan Ayres (Fr.)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 200 Back (1:54.73)
            1/28 vs Bellarmine – 200 Back (1:55.19)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 200 Back (1:57.23)

3 – Michael Mitsynskyy (So.)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 500 Free (4:52.43)
            1/28 vs. Bellarmine – 200 Fly (1:55.59)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 200 Fly (1:57.94)

2 – Noah Berryman (Sr.)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 100 Breast (1:00.32) / 200 Breast (2:14.09)

2 – Ethan Pheifer (So.)
            1/28 vs Bellarmine – 100 Back (53.31)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 500 Free (4:52.62)

1 – Bryce Handshoe (Sr.)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 200 Fly (1:52.66)

1 - Kenny Reed (Fr.)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 100 Fly (52.42)

1 - Patrick White (Sr.)
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - 50 Free (21.54)

1 – Porter Brovont (Fr.)
            1/14 vs. Southern Illinois (at Indiana State) – 1M Diving (301.30)

1 – Max Kruglov (So.)
            1/28 vs Bellarmine – 1000 Free (10:00.09)

1 – Landyn Riester (Sr.)
            1/28 vs Bellarmine – 200 Free (1:45.02)

1 – Zachary Moody (Sr.)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 1000 Free (10:00.76)

1 – Mason Young (Fr.)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – 100 Free (47.53)

2022-23 MEN'S RELAY EVENT WINNERS (8 TOTAL WINS):
4 - 200 Medley Relay
            10/28 vs. Eastern Illinois - Ben Clarkston, Joey Garberick, Landyn Riester, Jack Wolfred (1:33.86)
            1/21 vs. Miami – Ethan Pheifer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye (1:31.71)
            1/28 vs. Bellarmine – Ethan Pheifer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye (1:31.20)
            2/3 at Valparaiso – Owen Chaye, Michael Burns, Michael Mitsynskyy, Jacob Siewers (1:35.20)

2 - 400 Freestyle Relay
            11/11 at IUPUI – Jack Wolfred, Jacob Siewers, Joey Garberick, Owen Chaye (3:05.40)
            1/21 vs. Miami – Owen Chaye, Jack Wolfred, Ethan Pheifer, Jacob Siewers (3:04.47)

2 – 200 Freestyle Relay
            12/1 at Miami - Owen Chaye, Jack Wolfred, Jacob Siewers, Joey Garberick (1:20.21)
            1/14 vs. Southern Illinois (at Indiana State) – Joey Garberick, Owen Chaye, Jacob Siewers, Jack Wolfred (1:22.28)

Players Mentioned

Logan Ayres

Noah Berryman

Wyatt Blake

Porter Brovont

Michael Burns

Owen Chaye

Owen Chaye

Benjamin Clarkston

Joey Garberick

Joey Garberick

Bryce Handshoe

Bryce Handshoe

Max Kruglov

Reece Manning

Reece Manning

Michael Mitsynskyy

Zachary Moody

Ethan Pheifer

Kenny Reed

Landyn Riester

Jacob Siewers

Patrick White

Patrick White

Jack Wolfred

Jack Wolfred

Mason Young

Zach Zishka