Kelly’s Silver Leads Women’s S&D on Day 2 of MAC Championships
February 29, 2024 | Women's Swimming and Diving
ATHENS, Ohio - - Sophomore freestyle sprint specialist Payton Kelly added to her medal count Thursday, taking second place in the 50 freestyle on day two of the Mid-American Conference Women's Swimming & Diving Championships at the Ohio University Aquatic Center.
Kelly finished the race in 22.40, just 0.08 off her program record pace set at the IUPUI House of Champions earlier this season. It's her second straight silver medal in the 50 freestyle and her third medal overall as she took third in last season's 100 freestyle race.
Thanks in part to the strong effort by Kelly, the Cardinals added 53 more points to its 2024 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships point total and are in fifth place overall at 137. Akron leads the meet with 249.5 points.
Sophomore Callie Tuma started the evening session strong for Ball State, taking seventh in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:56.99. She entered as the event's fifth seed after turning in the third-best 500 freestyle time in program history at 4:53.15 in the prelims.
Senior Marcella Ribeiro also picked up points for the Cardinals in the 500 freestyle, earning 14th at 5:00.04.
Freshman Alexa Von Holtz made her first appearance in the "B" finals in her MAC Championship individual debut, taking 10th in the 200 IM at 2:02.18.
In the diving well, senior transfer Grace Walker shined in her MAC Championship debut, placing fifth overall with a score of 254.65.
The Cardinals rounded out the day with sixth-place finish in the 400 medley relay as Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones and Elizabeth King combined for a time of 3:43.39.
Action in the 2024 MAC Championships continues Friday with five more individual swimming events, prelims and consolation finals of 3-meter diving, and the 200 freestyle relay. Prelims start at 10 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m.
Ball State Women's Results on Day 2 at MAC Championships
THURSDAY EVENING FINALS RESULTS
500 Freestyle | Program Record - 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
7th - Callie Tuma - 4:56.99
14th - Marcella Ribeiro - 5:00.04
200 IM | Program Record - 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2023
10th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:02.18
50 Freestyle | Program Record - 22.32 by Payton Kelly in 2023
2nd - Payton Kelly - 22.40
1M Diving | Program Record - 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
5th - Grace Walker - 254.65
400 Medley Relay | Program Record - 3:39.86 by Pratt, Ruehl, H. Richter, Magley in 2013
6th - Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones, Elizabeth King - 3:43.39
THURSDAY MORNING PRELIM RESULTS
500 Freestyle | Program Record - 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
Advanced to A Finals - 5th - Callie Tuma - 4:53.15 (3rd in Program History)
Advanced to B Finals - 16th - Marcella Ribeiro - 4:59.96
Prelims
20th - Kayla Newman - 5:00.97
33rd - Mary Kate Phillips - 5:06.70
35th - Kiran Stauffer - 5:07.58
200 IM | Program Record - 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2023
Advanced to B Finals - 10th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:02.82
Prelims
35th - Sophia Kuehn - 2:09.93
50 Freestyle | Program Record - 22.32 by Payton Kelly in 2023
Advanced to A Finals - 3rd - Payton Kelly - 22.75
Prelims
21st - Hannah Jones - 23.71
22nd - Haley Sakbun - 23.88
23rd - Elizabeth King - 23.90
30th - Eliza Bader - 24.10
33rd - Natalie Marshall - 24.26
36th - Lilia Newkirk - 24.66
40th - Julia Ofman - 25.06
52nd - Angelina Eliacin - 24.62
55th - Emma Horton - 24.95
60th - Neely Agnew - 25.55
1M Diving | Program Record - 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
Advanced to A Finals - 7th - Grace Walker - 250.25
Prelims
24th - Leelah Fettig - 210.55
32nd - Ella Penny - 174.30
Kelly finished the race in 22.40, just 0.08 off her program record pace set at the IUPUI House of Champions earlier this season. It's her second straight silver medal in the 50 freestyle and her third medal overall as she took third in last season's 100 freestyle race.
Thanks in part to the strong effort by Kelly, the Cardinals added 53 more points to its 2024 MAC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships point total and are in fifth place overall at 137. Akron leads the meet with 249.5 points.
Sophomore Callie Tuma started the evening session strong for Ball State, taking seventh in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:56.99. She entered as the event's fifth seed after turning in the third-best 500 freestyle time in program history at 4:53.15 in the prelims.
Senior Marcella Ribeiro also picked up points for the Cardinals in the 500 freestyle, earning 14th at 5:00.04.
Freshman Alexa Von Holtz made her first appearance in the "B" finals in her MAC Championship individual debut, taking 10th in the 200 IM at 2:02.18.
In the diving well, senior transfer Grace Walker shined in her MAC Championship debut, placing fifth overall with a score of 254.65.
The Cardinals rounded out the day with sixth-place finish in the 400 medley relay as Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones and Elizabeth King combined for a time of 3:43.39.
Action in the 2024 MAC Championships continues Friday with five more individual swimming events, prelims and consolation finals of 3-meter diving, and the 200 freestyle relay. Prelims start at 10 a.m. and finals at 6 p.m.
Ball State Women's Results on Day 2 at MAC Championships
THURSDAY EVENING FINALS RESULTS
500 Freestyle | Program Record - 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
7th - Callie Tuma - 4:56.99
14th - Marcella Ribeiro - 5:00.04
200 IM | Program Record - 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2023
10th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:02.18
50 Freestyle | Program Record - 22.32 by Payton Kelly in 2023
2nd - Payton Kelly - 22.40
1M Diving | Program Record - 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
5th - Grace Walker - 254.65
400 Medley Relay | Program Record - 3:39.86 by Pratt, Ruehl, H. Richter, Magley in 2013
6th - Lilia Newkirk, Laura Wright, Hannah Jones, Elizabeth King - 3:43.39
THURSDAY MORNING PRELIM RESULTS
500 Freestyle | Program Record - 4:48.37 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
Advanced to A Finals - 5th - Callie Tuma - 4:53.15 (3rd in Program History)
Advanced to B Finals - 16th - Marcella Ribeiro - 4:59.96
Prelims
20th - Kayla Newman - 5:00.97
33rd - Mary Kate Phillips - 5:06.70
35th - Kiran Stauffer - 5:07.58
200 IM | Program Record - 2:00.85 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2023
Advanced to B Finals - 10th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:02.82
Prelims
35th - Sophia Kuehn - 2:09.93
50 Freestyle | Program Record - 22.32 by Payton Kelly in 2023
Advanced to A Finals - 3rd - Payton Kelly - 22.75
Prelims
21st - Hannah Jones - 23.71
22nd - Haley Sakbun - 23.88
23rd - Elizabeth King - 23.90
30th - Eliza Bader - 24.10
33rd - Natalie Marshall - 24.26
36th - Lilia Newkirk - 24.66
40th - Julia Ofman - 25.06
52nd - Angelina Eliacin - 24.62
55th - Emma Horton - 24.95
60th - Neely Agnew - 25.55
1M Diving | Program Record - 305.48 by Caitlin Locante in 2021
Advanced to A Finals - 7th - Grace Walker - 250.25
Prelims
24th - Leelah Fettig - 210.55
32nd - Ella Penny - 174.30
Players Mentioned
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back, Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Fly, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diving
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
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