Ball State University Athletics

Women's Swimming & Diving Earns 182-117 Win Over Toledo
January 20, 2024 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's swimming & diving program made the most of its final home meet of the 2023-24 season, opening its run to the Mid-American Conference Championships with a commanding 182-117 victory over Toledo Saturday afternoon at the Lewellen Aquatic Center.
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The Cardinals (4-0; 3-0 MAC) claimed the top spot in 13 of the day's 16 events, led by another solid performance from sophomore Payton Kelly, who took top honors in both the 50 (23.63) and 100 (51.54) freestyle events. She also swam anchor for both winning relays to help BSU finish the home portion of its season with an unblemished 3-0 mark.
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BSU set the tone early, with Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones and Kelly combining to win the 200 medley relay be over two seconds with a mark of 1:44.84.
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Marcella Ribeiro followed with her first to two event wins, taking the top spot in the 1000 freestyle by 13 seconds at 10:33.94. Ribeiro would go on to win the 500 freestyle as well, taking that race by over two seconds at 5:13.37. She also opened the 400 freestyle relay to finish the event with three total wins.
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After Hannah Jones won the 100 backstroke in 57.06, Wright opened her breaststroke sweep with a time of 1:04.02 in the 100. Wright would go on to win the 200 breaststroke in 2:20.11 to join Ribeiro with three event wins.
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Alexa Von Holtz scored wins in the 200 butterfly (2:03.10) and the 200 IM (2:07.48), while Newkirk added a victory in the 200 backstroke (2:03.66) to her 200 medley relay win.
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Ball State rounded out action in the pool with Ribeiro, Haley Sakbun, Jones and Kelly combining for a time of 3:32.17 to take top billing in the 400 freestyle relay.
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The Cardinals also found success in the diving well, with Grace Walker taking top honors on the 1M board with a season-best score of 288.30, bettering her NCAA Zone Diving qualifying mark.Â
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The Ball State women's swimming & diving team returns to action next Saturday, when it travels to Ohio for a 2 p.m. dual.Â
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200 Medley Relay | Program Record - 1:39.69 by Crist, Wright, Jones, A. Sakbun in 2023
1st - Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones, Payton Kelly - 1:44.84Â
DQ - Alyssa Messenger, Haley Sakbun, Alexa Von Holtz, Natalie Marshall
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1000 Freestyle | Program Record - 10:01.21 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
1st - Marcella Ribeiro - 10:33.94Â
2nd - Mary Kate Phillips - 10:46.94Â
6th - Callie Tuma - 11:12.26Â
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200 Freestyle | Program Record - 1:48.13 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
4th - Elizabeth King - 1:58.63
5th - Haley Sakbun - 1:59.98
6th - Emma Horton - 2:03.49Â
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100 Backstroke | Program Record - 54.44 by Hannah Jones in 2022
1st - Hannah Jones - 57.06Â
2nd - Lilia Newkirk - 57.82Â
4th - Alyssa Messenger - 58.82Â
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100 Breaststroke | Program Record - 1:00.58 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
1st - Laura Wright - 1:04.02Â
3rd - Eliza Bader - 1:09.52Â
5th - Neely Agnew - 1:12.62Â
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200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:59.93 by Mallory Miles in 2013
1st - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:03.10Â
3rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:12.19Â
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50 Freestyle | Program Record - 22.32 by Payton Kelly in 2023
1st - Payton Kelly - 23.63Â
3rd- Natalie Marshall - 24.83Â
5th - Angelina Eliacin - 25.66Â
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1M Diving | Program Record - 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
1st - Grace Walker - 288.30Â
4th - Ella Penny - 224.63Â
5th- Leelah Fettig - 217.73
EX - Ava Pavich - 190.43Â
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100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.12 by Payton Kelly in 2023
1st - Payton Kelly - 51.54Â
4th - Elizabeth King - 54.47Â
5th - Haley Sakbun - 53.37Â
Ex - Emma Horton - 56.38Â
Ex - Angelina Eliacin - 56.76Â
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200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
1st - Lilia Newkirk - 2:03.66Â
2nd - Alyssa Messenger - 2:07.85
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200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
1st - Laura Wright - 2:20.11Â
3rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:23.24Â
5th - Eliza Bader - 2:36.79Â
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500 Freestyle | Program Record - 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
1st - Marcella Ribeiro - 5:13.37Â
2nd - Mary Kate Phillips - 5:15.43Â
6th - Callie Tuma - 5:29.97Â
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100 Butterfly | Program Record - 53.64 by Mallory Miles in 2013
2nd - Alexa Von Holtz - 57.05Â
3rd - Hannah Jones - 58.26Â
4th - Natalie Marshall - 1:00.94Â
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3-Meter Diving | Program Record - 347.78 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
3rd - Grace Walker - 260.63Â
4th - Leelah Fettig - 233.93Â
6th - Ava Pavich - 188.85Â
EXÂ - Ella Penny - 180.45Â
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200 IM | Program Record - 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2023
1st - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:07.48Â
3rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:12.38Â
6th - Laura Wright - 2:18.06Â
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400 Freestyle Relay | Program Record - 3:21.74 by Kelly, A. Sakbun, Ribeiro, Payne in 2023
1st - Marcella Ribeiro, Haley Sakbun, Hannah Jones, Payton Kelly - 3:32.17Â
3rd - Natalie Marshall, Eliza Bader, Alyssa Messenger, Elizabeth King - 3:39.40Â
5th - Mary Kate Phillips, Emma Horton, Angelina Eliacin, Lilia Newkirk - 3:44.78Â
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The Cardinals (4-0; 3-0 MAC) claimed the top spot in 13 of the day's 16 events, led by another solid performance from sophomore Payton Kelly, who took top honors in both the 50 (23.63) and 100 (51.54) freestyle events. She also swam anchor for both winning relays to help BSU finish the home portion of its season with an unblemished 3-0 mark.
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BSU set the tone early, with Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones and Kelly combining to win the 200 medley relay be over two seconds with a mark of 1:44.84.
Â
Marcella Ribeiro followed with her first to two event wins, taking the top spot in the 1000 freestyle by 13 seconds at 10:33.94. Ribeiro would go on to win the 500 freestyle as well, taking that race by over two seconds at 5:13.37. She also opened the 400 freestyle relay to finish the event with three total wins.
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After Hannah Jones won the 100 backstroke in 57.06, Wright opened her breaststroke sweep with a time of 1:04.02 in the 100. Wright would go on to win the 200 breaststroke in 2:20.11 to join Ribeiro with three event wins.
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Alexa Von Holtz scored wins in the 200 butterfly (2:03.10) and the 200 IM (2:07.48), while Newkirk added a victory in the 200 backstroke (2:03.66) to her 200 medley relay win.
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Ball State rounded out action in the pool with Ribeiro, Haley Sakbun, Jones and Kelly combining for a time of 3:32.17 to take top billing in the 400 freestyle relay.
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The Cardinals also found success in the diving well, with Grace Walker taking top honors on the 1M board with a season-best score of 288.30, bettering her NCAA Zone Diving qualifying mark.Â
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The Ball State women's swimming & diving team returns to action next Saturday, when it travels to Ohio for a 2 p.m. dual.Â
Â
200 Medley Relay | Program Record - 1:39.69 by Crist, Wright, Jones, A. Sakbun in 2023
1st - Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones, Payton Kelly - 1:44.84Â
DQ - Alyssa Messenger, Haley Sakbun, Alexa Von Holtz, Natalie Marshall
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1000 Freestyle | Program Record - 10:01.21 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
1st - Marcella Ribeiro - 10:33.94Â
2nd - Mary Kate Phillips - 10:46.94Â
6th - Callie Tuma - 11:12.26Â
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200 Freestyle | Program Record - 1:48.13 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
4th - Elizabeth King - 1:58.63
5th - Haley Sakbun - 1:59.98
6th - Emma Horton - 2:03.49Â
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100 Backstroke | Program Record - 54.44 by Hannah Jones in 2022
1st - Hannah Jones - 57.06Â
2nd - Lilia Newkirk - 57.82Â
4th - Alyssa Messenger - 58.82Â
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100 Breaststroke | Program Record - 1:00.58 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
1st - Laura Wright - 1:04.02Â
3rd - Eliza Bader - 1:09.52Â
5th - Neely Agnew - 1:12.62Â
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200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:59.93 by Mallory Miles in 2013
1st - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:03.10Â
3rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:12.19Â
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50 Freestyle | Program Record - 22.32 by Payton Kelly in 2023
1st - Payton Kelly - 23.63Â
3rd- Natalie Marshall - 24.83Â
5th - Angelina Eliacin - 25.66Â
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1M Diving | Program Record - 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
1st - Grace Walker - 288.30Â
4th - Ella Penny - 224.63Â
5th- Leelah Fettig - 217.73
EX - Ava Pavich - 190.43Â
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100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.12 by Payton Kelly in 2023
1st - Payton Kelly - 51.54Â
4th - Elizabeth King - 54.47Â
5th - Haley Sakbun - 53.37Â
Ex - Emma Horton - 56.38Â
Ex - Angelina Eliacin - 56.76Â
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200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
1st - Lilia Newkirk - 2:03.66Â
2nd - Alyssa Messenger - 2:07.85
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200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
1st - Laura Wright - 2:20.11Â
3rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:23.24Â
5th - Eliza Bader - 2:36.79Â
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500 Freestyle | Program Record - 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
1st - Marcella Ribeiro - 5:13.37Â
2nd - Mary Kate Phillips - 5:15.43Â
6th - Callie Tuma - 5:29.97Â
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100 Butterfly | Program Record - 53.64 by Mallory Miles in 2013
2nd - Alexa Von Holtz - 57.05Â
3rd - Hannah Jones - 58.26Â
4th - Natalie Marshall - 1:00.94Â
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3-Meter Diving | Program Record - 347.78 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
3rd - Grace Walker - 260.63Â
4th - Leelah Fettig - 233.93Â
6th - Ava Pavich - 188.85Â
EXÂ - Ella Penny - 180.45Â
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200 IM | Program Record - 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2023
1st - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:07.48Â
3rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:12.38Â
6th - Laura Wright - 2:18.06Â
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400 Freestyle Relay | Program Record - 3:21.74 by Kelly, A. Sakbun, Ribeiro, Payne in 2023
1st - Marcella Ribeiro, Haley Sakbun, Hannah Jones, Payton Kelly - 3:32.17Â
3rd - Natalie Marshall, Eliza Bader, Alyssa Messenger, Elizabeth King - 3:39.40Â
5th - Mary Kate Phillips, Emma Horton, Angelina Eliacin, Lilia Newkirk - 3:44.78Â
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Players Mentioned
Sports Link: National Girls and Women in Sports Day
Wednesday, February 25
Celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day // Produced by Ball State Sports Link
Wednesday, February 04
Sports Link: Zach Shaddy (Diving)
Tuesday, January 13
Sports Link: Hungry To Win (Malcolm Slater)
Thursday, January 08























