Garberick Defends 100 Breaststroke Title On Day 3 Of MAC Championships

March 03, 2023 | Men's Swimming and Diving

OXFORD, Ohio - - Ball State continued to post record performances, five to be exact, on the third day of the Mid-American Conference Men's Swimming & Diving Championships Friday.

However, the biggest highlight of the day came in the 100 breaststroke when junior Joey Garberick defended his individual MAC Championship for the third consecutive year.

Garberick earned the top seed for the championship heat in the prelims with what was a program record of 53.05, until he bested that by touching the wall at 52.17 in the finals to capture his third straight MAC crown.

Garberick is the first Ball State swimmer to win three MAC titles in a row since Winand Willigers won the 200 IM from 1987-1989. Both of Garberick's times on the day were also NCAA B Cuts.

That was not the only record Garberick had a hand in setting, however, as he capped the day swimming the second leg of the 400 Medley Relay. Sophomore Ethan Pheifer swam the first leg, while seniors Bryce Handshoe and Owen Chaye swam the final two helping push Ball State onto the podium placing third with a program-record time of 3:12.42.

In the rest of the individual swimming events senior Bryce Handshoe started out hot setting a program record in the 100 butterfly prelims. His new career best of 47.93 earned him the three seed in the championship heat. In the finals Handshoe picked up another medal for the Cardinals, placing third in 48.13.

The records did not stop there, as Zach Zishka touched at 3:57.18 to win the consolation heat of the 400 IM, breaking his own time for the fastest school history. Earlier in the day, Max Kruglov touched at 4:01.17 in the preliminaries for a new career best and the second-fastest individual effort in program history.

Siewers would not be left out either, setting a 200 freestyle school record with his swim of 1:38.80 in the finals.

In the diving well, freshman Porter Brovont grabbed the top seed in the 3M diving with his score of 316.25. Brovont will compete in the 3M championships tomorrow at 7:15 p.m.

With one day remaining, the Cardinals are currently fourth among the seven-team field at 293 points. Miami is first overall at 500.

Action at the MAC Championships wraps up Saturday, with five individual swimming events, 3-meter diving finals, and the 400 freestyle relay.

Preliminaries for the 200 backstroke will start at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by the 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, and 200 butterfly. The 1650 freestyle will follow at 4:10 p.m.

TEAM STANDINGS AFTER DAY 3
1. Miami - 500
2. Missouri State – 470.5
3. Southern Illinois - 389
4. Ball State - 293
5. Evansville - 239
6. Chicago Illinois – 235.5
7. Valparaiso - 73

BALL STATE FRIDAY'S CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCES

100 Butterfly
3^rd - Bryce Handshoe – 48.13
14^th - Michael Burns – 49.99

400 IM
9^th – Zach Zishka – 3:57.18 – PROGRAM RECORD
12^th - Max Kruglov – 4:03.16
14^th - Zachary Moody – 4:05.99
15^th - Michael Mitsynskyy – 4:06.44

200 Freestyle
11^th - Jacob Siewers – 1:38.80 – PROGRAM RECORD
16^th - Aiden Maurer – 1:42.47

100 Breaststroke
1^st - Joey Garberick – 52.17 – PROGRAM RECORD

100 Backstroke
9^th - Ethan Pheifer – 49.52 (3^rd in program history)

400 Medley Relay
3^rd – Ethan Pheifer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye – 3:12.42 – PROGRAM RECORD

BALL STATE FRIDAY'S PRELIM PERFORMANCES

100 Butterfly
3^rd – Bryce Handshoe – 47.93 – PROGRAM RECORD
16^th – Michael Burns – 50.57
17^th – Benjamin Clarkston – 50.79
22^nd – Mason Young – 51.21
EXH – Kenny Reed – 50.44
EXH – Patrick White – 51.76

400 IM
11^th - Max Kruglov – 4:01.17 (2^nd in program history)
12^th - Zach Zishka – 4:02.82
14^th - Michael Mitsynskyy – 4:06.40
16^th - Zachary Moody – 4:07.00

200 Freestyle
13^th - Aiden Maurer – 1:40.30
14^th - Jacob Siewers – 1:40.45
19^th - Alexander Eddy – 1:43.84
EXH - Landyn Riester – 1:41.52

100 Breaststroke
1^st – Joey Garberick – 53.05
16^th – Michael Burns – 56.26
19^th – Jack Wolfred – 56.44
EXH – Noah Berryman – 58.72

100 Backstroke
13^th - Ethan Pheifer – 50.38
17^th – Reece Manning – 51.21
18^th – Benjamin Clarkston – 51.41
20^th – Logan Ayres – 51.67
EXH – Sam Jennings – 50.98
EXH – Erkan Ozgen – 52.32

3M Diving
1^st - Porter Brovont – 316.25
9^th – Wyatt Blake – 253.15
14^th – Isaac Hunter – 204.30