Men's Swim & Dive Battles at SIU Saturday

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State men's swimming & diving program closes the dual portion of the 2023-24 season Saturday, when it travels to Southern Illinois for a 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT contest at Shea Natatorium.

The Cardinals (3-1) are coming off a pair of strong back-to-back performances, winning the six-team Butler Invite (Jan. 28) and earning a 127-78 victory at Bellarmine (Feb. 3).

The Salukies (3-5) picked up a pair of wins in its last time out, toping both UIC (149-102) and Valparaiso (200-44) in a tri-meet last Saturday.

The last time Ball State and SIU battled head-to-head, the Cardinals suffered a 196-102 setback in a meet held at Indiana State on Jan. 14, 2023. Despite the loss, BSU was able to pick up five event wins on the day, led by a breaststroke sweep from senior Joey Garberick.

Fifth-year senior Owen Chaye also won the 50 free, while sophomore Porter Brovont captured the title on the 1M diving board. The Cardinals also captured the title in the 200 freestyle relay that day.

IN THE MAC RANKINGS:
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have 16 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into Saturday's dual at Southern Illinois.

Senior breaststroke specialist Joey Garberick is BSU's top-ranked student-athlete, holding the top spot in both the 100 (52.69) and 200 (1:58.67) breaststroke events.

Men's Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MAC Top 16
50 Freestyle: 3rd - Owen Chaye (20.49) / 12th - Ethan Pheifer (20.63) / 13th - Joey Garberick (20.63)
100 Freestyle: 2nd - Owen Chaye (43.85) / 11th - Jacob Siewers (45.00)
200 Freestyle: 5th - Jacob Siewers (1:38.62) / 12th - Malcolm Slater (1:41.76) / 13th - Owen Chaye (1:40.78)
500 Freestyle: 4th - Malcolm Slater (4:31.09) / 5th - Tommy Brunner (4:32.09) / 15th- Seth Blossom (4:35.83)
1000 Freestyle: 7th - Malcolm Slater (9:34.27) / 10th - Tommy Brunner (9:37.64) / 13th - Seth Blossom (9:40.28) / 15th - Alexander Eddy (9:55.10)
1650 Freestyle: 4th - Malcolm Slater (15:48.96) / 8th - Seth Blossom (15:58.40) / 9th - Tommy Brunner (15:58.51) / 14th - Alexander Eddy (16:05.16)
100 Backstroke: 6th - Joey Garberick (49.33) / 7th - Ethan Pheifer (49.58)
200 Backstroke: 15th - Chance Buckles (1:52.00)
100 Breaststroke: 1st - Joey Garberick (52.69) / 5th - Michael Burns (55.21) / 7th - Aidan Biddle (55.51)
200 Breaststroke: 1st - Joey Garberick (1:58.67) / 5th - Michael Burns (2:01.36)
100 Butterfly: 6th - Bryce Handshoe (48.19) / 15th - Benjamin Clarkston (50.10)
200 Butterfly: 5th - Bryce Handshoe (1:48.87) / 12th - Michael Mitsynskyy (1:50.85) / 13th - Malcolm Slater (1:50.90) / 14th - Benjamin Clarkston (1:51.28)
200 IM: 7th - Michael Burns (1:51.00) / 12th - Max Kruglov (1:52.29)
400 IM: 8th - Malcolm Slater (4:01.07) / 10th - Max Kruglov (4:02.15) / 15th - Zach Zishka (4:05.14)
200 Freestyle Relay: 3rd (1:20.36)
400 Freestyle Relay: 3rd (2:58.95)
800 Freestyle Relay: 3rd (6:43.09)
200 Medley Relay: 3rd (1:28.01)
400 Medley Relay: 3rd (3:15.17)

FROM THE DIVING BOARDS:
Sophomore Porter Brovont leads the Cardinals on the 1M boards with a NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying score of 317.70, while senior Isaac Hunter has a team-best 3M score of 313.05.

Ball State Divers Top Results in 2023-24
Porter Brovont (So.) - 317.70* on 1M / 299.63 on 3M
Isaac Hunter (Sr.) - 292.95 on 1M / 313.05 on 3M
Wyatt Blake (5th Sr.) - 261.68 on 1M / 292.20 on 3M
* = NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying Score

MAC AWARD WINNERS:
Ball State has already claimed four Mid-American Conference weekly award this season with senior Joey Garberickearning three MAC Swimmer of the Week honors and fifty-year senior Owen Chaye claiming the other.

Award Winners:
10/18/2023 - Joey Garberick MAC Swimmer of the Week
10/25/2023 - Owen Chaye MAC Swimmer of the Week
11/22/2023 - Joey Garberick MAC Swimmer of the Week
1/31/2024 - Joey Garberick MAC Swimmer of the Week

EVENT WINNERS:
As a squad, the Cardinals have chalked up 38 individual event wins and eight relay victories so far this season. Fifth-year senior Owen Chaye leads the group with 10 individual victories apiece, while senior Joey Garberick is right behind with nine. Both have also swam on seven of the eight winning relays.

2023-24 Men's Individual Event Winners (38 Total)
10 - Owen Chaye (5th Sr.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 50 Freestyle (21.09) / 100 Freestyle (46.08)
   Oct. 21 at Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate - 50 Freestyle (20.49) / 100 Freestyle (45.54)
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - 50 Freestyle (20.80) / 100 Freestyle (45.79)
   Nov. 16 at House of Champions - 50 Freestyle (20.03)
   Nov. 18 at House of Champions - 100 Freestyle (43.85)
   Jan. 26 vs Miami - 50 Freestyle (20.75)
   Feb. 3 vs Bellarmine - 200 Freestyle (1:43.11)

9 - Joey Garberick (Sr.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 100 Breaststroke (55.75) / 200 Breaststroke (2:04.28)
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - 100 Breaststroke (55.61)
   Nov. 17 at House of Champions - 100 Breaststroke (52.86)
   Dec. 1 at Minnesota Invite - 100 Breaststroke (52.69)
   Jan. 26 vs Miami - 100 Breaststroke (55.34) / 200 Breaststroke (2:03.41)
   Jan. 28 at Butler Invite - 100 Breaststroke (53.71) / 200 Breaststroke (2:01.79)

5 - Malcolm Slater (Fr.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 200 Butterfly (1:52.57) / 500 Freestyle (4:41.78)
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - 200 Butterfly (1:53.34) / 500 Freestyle (4:38.56) / 400 IM (4:08.19)

2 - Bryce Handshoe (5th Sr.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 100 Butterfly (50.63)
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - 100 Butterfly (50.39)

2 - Ethan Pheifer (Jr.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 100 Backstroke (51.68)
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - 100 Backstroke (51.89)

2 - Jacob Siewers (So.)
Nov. 17 at House of Champions - 200 Freestyle (1:38.71)
Jan. 26 vs Miami - 100 Freestyle (45.56)

2 - Benjamin Clarkston (So.)
    Feb. 3 vs Bellarmine - 50 Freestyle (21.20) / 100 Freestyle (47.33)

1 - Logan Ayres (So.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 200 Backstroke (1:54.68)

1 - Alexander Eddy (Jr.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 1000 Freestyle (9:55.10)

1 - Seth Blossom
Jan. 28 at Butler Invite - 1650 Freestyle (15:58.40)

1 - Tommy Brunner (Fr.)
    Feb. 3 vs Bellarmine - 1000 Freestyle (9:46.92)

1 - Max Kruglov (Jr.)
   Feb. 3 vs Bellarmine - 200 IM (1:56.19)

1 - Aidan Biddle (Fr.)
   Feb. 3 vs Bellarmine - 100 Breaststroke (57.98)

2023-24 Men's Relay Event Winners (8 Total)
3 - 200 Medley Relay
   Oct. 14 at UIC - Ethan Pheifer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye - 1:31.68
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - Ethan Pheifer, Joey Garberick, Bryce Handshoe, Owen Chaye - 1:31.46
   Feb. 3 vs Bellarmine - Ethan Pheifer, Aidan Biddle, Michael Burns, Benjamin Clarkston - 1:33.37

1 - 200 Freestyle Relay
Jan. 26 vs Miami - Owen Chaye, Joey Garberick, Benjamin Clarkston, Jacob Siewers - 1:23.19

4 - 400 Freestyle Relay
   Oct. 14 at UIC - Jacob Siewers, Joey Garberick, Ethan Pheifer, Owen Chaye - 3:05.87
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - Jacob Siewers, Ethan Pheifer, Joey Garberick, Owen Chaye - 3:05.69
   Nov. 18 at House of Champions - Owen Chaye, Jacob Siewers, Joey Garberick, Ethan Pheifer - 2:58.95
   Feb. 3 vs Bellarmine - Joey Garberick, Ethan Pheifer, Jacob Siewers, Owen Chaye - 3:09.94

Players Mentioned

Logan Ayres

Aidan Biddle

Seth Blossom

Porter Brovont

Tommy Brunner

Chance Buckles

Michael Burns

Owen Chaye

Benjamin Clarkston

Alexander Eddy

Joey Garberick

Bryce Handshoe

Isaac Hunter

Max Kruglov

Michael Mitsynskyy

Ethan Pheifer

Jacob Siewers

Malcolm Slater

Zach Zishka

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