Women's S&D Travels to Oxford for Miami Invitational

Thursday, December 5

Oxford, OH

9:30 a.m. / 5 p.m.

Ball State University

Miami Invitational

Women's S&D Travels to Oxford for Miami Invitational

December 04, 2024 | Women's Swimming and Diving

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State women's swimming and diving program returns to action Thursday as it travels to Oxford, Ohio, to compete in the Miami Invitational.

The three-day contest, hosted by Miami, takes place at the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center with prelims starting at 9:35 a.m. and the finals starting at 5:05 p.m., apart from day three's final which starts at 4:35 p.m. Events go on Dec. 5-7.

Thursday marks the program's first and only Invitational meet of the 2024-25 season, coming off two-straight successful outings against IU Indy (189-108) and Bellarmine (131.5-71.5).

The Cardinals' only loss of their 2024-25 campaign thus far was a 164-134 setback to Miami on Oct. 18, prior to their current two-meet winning streak. In the showdown, BSU picked up first place finishes in four of the five individual freestyle events, while Laura Wright asserted herself, taking wins in both the 100 (1:04.90) and 200 (2:21.96) breaststroke.

Alexa Von Holtz won both the 200 butterfly (2:03.88) and 400 IM (4:32.57) as Grace Walker found herself on top of the 1M board (283.50), giving the Cardinals wins in nine of the 16 events contested that day.

Fans can follow the action in the Miami Invitational via Meet Mobile.

IN THE MAC RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have four student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into the three-day Miami Invitational.

Women's Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MAC Top 16
50 Freestyle: 12th - Payton Kelly (23.60) / 15th - Anna Keen (23.69)
100 Freestyle: N/A
200 Freestyle: 9th - Payton Kelly (1:51.25)
500 Freestyle: N/A
1000 Freestyle: 3rd - Payton Kelly (10:19.26) / 8th - McKenna Potteiger (10:28.48)
1650 Freestyle: N/A
100 Backstroke: 13th - Payton Kelly (56.55*)
200 Backstroke: N/A
100 Breaststroke: 16th - Laura Wright (1:04.71)
200 Breaststroke: N/A
100 Butterfly: N/A
200 Butterfly: 5th - Alexa Von Holtz (2:02.62)
200 IM: N/A
400 IM: 11th - Alexa Von Holtz (4:32.57)
200 Freestyle Relay: 6th – Ball State (1:35.37)
400 Freestyle Relay: 8th - Ball State (3:30.84)
800 Freestyle Relay: N/A
200 Medley Relay: 8th - Ball State (1:44.68)
400 Medley Relay: 7th – Ball State (3:50.25)

FROM THE DIVING BOARDS:
Graduate Grace Walker currently leads the Cardinals on both the 1M (293.10) and 3M (276.68) boards, with her 1M score being an NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying mark and the fourth-best individual score for six dives in program history.

Ball State Divers Top Results in 2024-25
Grace Walker (Gr.) - 293.10* on 1M / 276.68 on 3M
Leelah Fettig (So.) – 253.05 on 1M / 245.40 on 3M
Hannah Justice (Jr.) - 214.95 on 1M / 196.73 on 3M
Eeva-Liisa Gibson (Fr.) – 196.50 on 1M / 194.10 on 3M
Tommy-Anne Marriott (Fr.) - 185.85 on 1M / 237.30 on 3M
NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying Marks: 265 on 1M / 280 on 3M

EVENT WINNERS:
As a squad, the Cardinals have chalked up 35 individual event wins and five relay victories so far this season.

2024-25 Women's Individual Event Winners (35)
7 - Payton Kelly (Jr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Freestyle (51.97) / 200 Freestyle (1:51.25)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 50 Freestyle (23.60) / 100 Freestyle (51.83)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Freestyle (52.30)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 100 Backstroke (57.16) / 1000 Freestyle (10:19.26)

6 - Laura Wright (Gr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Butterfly (1:04.76) / 200 Butterfly (2:23.46)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 100 Butterfly (1:04.90) / 200 Butterfly (2:21.96)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Breaststroke (1:04.71) / 200 Breaststroke (2:21.08)

5 - Alexa Von Holtz (So.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 200 Butterfly (2:05.06)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 200 Butterfly (2:02.62) / 200 IM (2:07.28)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 200 Freestyle (1:57.05) / 100 Butterfly (57.44)

3- Alyssa Messenger (Jr.)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Backstroke (57.65) / 200 Backstroke (2:04.16)

3 - Grace Walker (Gr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 1M Diving (293.10) / 3M Diving (276.68)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 1M Diving (283.50)

2 - Leelah Fettig (So.)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 1M Diving (253.05) / 3M Diving (242.63)

2 - Anna Keen (Fr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 50 Freestyle (24.61)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 50 Freestyle (23.69)

2 - Lilia Newkirk (Sr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Backstroke (57.69) / 200 Backstroke (2:05.10)

2 - Kiran Stauffer (Jr.)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 200 Butterfly (2:03.88) / 400 IM (4:32.57)

1 – Kayla Newman (So.)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 500 freestyle (5:14.11)

1 – McKenna Potteiger (Fr.)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 1000 Freestyle (10:28.48)

1 – Haley Sakbun (Jr.)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 100 Freestyle (53.79)

2024-25 Women's Relay Winners (5)
3 - 200 Medley Relay
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: Keen, Sakbun, Stauffer, Kelly (3:30.84)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: Messenger, Ofman, Keen, Kelly (1:44.92)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: Messenger, Ofman, Bader, Sakbun (1:47.56)

2 - 400 Freestyle Relay
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: Newkirk, Wright, Keen, Kelly (1:44.68)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: Stauffer, Sakbun, Tuma, Kelly (3:37.54)