Tuma’s Title Highlights Solid Final Day at MAC Championships
March 02, 2024 | Women's Swimming and Diving
ATHENS, Ohio - - Sophomore Callie Tuma claimed Ball State's first league title since the 2021, taking top honors in the 1650 freestyle to lead a solid effort on the final day of the 2024 Mid-American Conference Championships at the Ohio University Aquatic Center.
Tuma's wall touch of 16:44.16 was 0.11 ahead of Astrid Halvorsen of Akron and was the second-best individual performance in program history. The only BSU swimmer with a better time, the program's last individual MAC champion senior Marcella Ribeiro who finish eighth in Saturday's race with a time of 17:03.67.
Sophomore Payton Kelly followed up with her second medal and program record of the weekend, taking third in the 100 freestyle with a time of 49.03. The effort topped her previous mark of 49.12 set at the House of Champions meet set earlier this season.
The Cardinals were not done there, however, as senior Laura Wright earned BSU's third medal of the day by taking third in the 200 breaststroke at 2:13.69. She was even faster in the prelims, however, boasting the second-fastest individual time in program history at 2:12.85.
In addition to Saturday's three medals and Ribeiro's eighth-place effort in the 1650 freestyle, four other swimmers scored for the Cardinals, including a sixth-place time of 2:00:54 by freshman Alexa Von Holtz in the 200 butterfly.
The others were freshman Kayla Newman who took 15th in the 1650 freestyle (17:18.17), junior Lilia Newkirk who added a 13th-place effort in the 200 backstroke, and freshman Julia Ofman who placed14th in the 200 breaststroke (2:19.28).
Ball State rounded out the meet with a sophomore Kiran Stauffer, junior Hannah Jones, sophomore Haley Sakbun and Kelly placing seventh in the 400 freestyle relay at 3:24.77.
Overall, the Cardinals scored 118 points on the final day of the MAC Championships, raising its four-day total to 330 which placed fifth among the eight-team field. Ball State's student-athletes earned four total medals and scored in all 20 events.
For their efforts over the four-day meet, Kelly and Tuma each earned First Team All-MAC accolades. Kelly led the Cardinals with 48 total points, while Tuma was right behind with 35.
Up next for several Cardinals, possible postseason competitions between the NCAA Zone Diving Championships (March 14-16), the CSCAA National Invitational Championships (March 14-16) and the NCAA Championships (March 20-23).
Ball State Women's Results on Day 4 at MAC Championships
SATURDAY EVENING FINALS RESULTS
1650 Freestyle | Program Record - 16:32.61 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
1st - Callie Tuma - 16:44.16 - 2nd in Program History
8th - Marcella Ribeiro - 17:03.67
15th - Kayla Newman - 17:18.17
22nd - Mary Kate Phillips - 17:32.15
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
13th - Lilia Newkirk - 2:00.80
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.03 by Payton Kelly in 2024
3rd - Payton Kelly - 49.03
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
3rd - Laura Wright - 2:13.69
14th - Julia Ofman - 2:19.28
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:59.93 by Mallory Miles in 2013
6th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:00.54
400 Freestyle Relay | Program Record - 3:21.74 by Kelly, A. Sakbun, Ribeiro, Payne in 2023
7th - Kiran Stauffer, Hannah Jones, Haley Sakbun, Payton Kelly - 3:24.77
SATURDAY MORNING PRELIM RESULTS
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
Advanced to B Finals - 11th - Lilia Newkirk - 2:00.03 - 3rd in Program History
Prelims
19th - Alyssa Messenger - 2:02.69
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.12 by Payton Kelly in 2023
Advanced to A Finals - 4th - Payton Kelly - 49.68
Prelims
20th - Kiran Stauffer - 51.68
22nd - Haley Sakbun - 51.80
25th - Elizabeth King - 52.15
31st - Eliza Bader - 53.54
32nd - Natalie Marshall - 53.68
EX - Emma Horton - 54.83
EX - Angelina Eliacin - 55.17
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
Advanced to B Finals - 2nd - Laura Wright - 2:12.85 - 2nd in Program History
Advanced to B Finals - 13th - Julia Ofman - 2:18.30 - 6th in Program History
Prelims
EX - Neely Agnew - 2:32.40
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:59.93 by Mallory Miles in 2013
Advanced to A Finals - 6th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:01.43
Prelims
23rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:09.97
Tuma's wall touch of 16:44.16 was 0.11 ahead of Astrid Halvorsen of Akron and was the second-best individual performance in program history. The only BSU swimmer with a better time, the program's last individual MAC champion senior Marcella Ribeiro who finish eighth in Saturday's race with a time of 17:03.67.
Sophomore Payton Kelly followed up with her second medal and program record of the weekend, taking third in the 100 freestyle with a time of 49.03. The effort topped her previous mark of 49.12 set at the House of Champions meet set earlier this season.
The Cardinals were not done there, however, as senior Laura Wright earned BSU's third medal of the day by taking third in the 200 breaststroke at 2:13.69. She was even faster in the prelims, however, boasting the second-fastest individual time in program history at 2:12.85.
In addition to Saturday's three medals and Ribeiro's eighth-place effort in the 1650 freestyle, four other swimmers scored for the Cardinals, including a sixth-place time of 2:00:54 by freshman Alexa Von Holtz in the 200 butterfly.
The others were freshman Kayla Newman who took 15th in the 1650 freestyle (17:18.17), junior Lilia Newkirk who added a 13th-place effort in the 200 backstroke, and freshman Julia Ofman who placed14th in the 200 breaststroke (2:19.28).
Ball State rounded out the meet with a sophomore Kiran Stauffer, junior Hannah Jones, sophomore Haley Sakbun and Kelly placing seventh in the 400 freestyle relay at 3:24.77.
Overall, the Cardinals scored 118 points on the final day of the MAC Championships, raising its four-day total to 330 which placed fifth among the eight-team field. Ball State's student-athletes earned four total medals and scored in all 20 events.
For their efforts over the four-day meet, Kelly and Tuma each earned First Team All-MAC accolades. Kelly led the Cardinals with 48 total points, while Tuma was right behind with 35.
Up next for several Cardinals, possible postseason competitions between the NCAA Zone Diving Championships (March 14-16), the CSCAA National Invitational Championships (March 14-16) and the NCAA Championships (March 20-23).
Ball State Women's Results on Day 4 at MAC Championships
SATURDAY EVENING FINALS RESULTS
1650 Freestyle | Program Record - 16:32.61 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
1st - Callie Tuma - 16:44.16 - 2nd in Program History
8th - Marcella Ribeiro - 17:03.67
15th - Kayla Newman - 17:18.17
22nd - Mary Kate Phillips - 17:32.15
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
13th - Lilia Newkirk - 2:00.80
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.03 by Payton Kelly in 2024
3rd - Payton Kelly - 49.03
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
3rd - Laura Wright - 2:13.69
14th - Julia Ofman - 2:19.28
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:59.93 by Mallory Miles in 2013
6th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:00.54
400 Freestyle Relay | Program Record - 3:21.74 by Kelly, A. Sakbun, Ribeiro, Payne in 2023
7th - Kiran Stauffer, Hannah Jones, Haley Sakbun, Payton Kelly - 3:24.77
SATURDAY MORNING PRELIM RESULTS
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
Advanced to B Finals - 11th - Lilia Newkirk - 2:00.03 - 3rd in Program History
Prelims
19th - Alyssa Messenger - 2:02.69
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.12 by Payton Kelly in 2023
Advanced to A Finals - 4th - Payton Kelly - 49.68
Prelims
20th - Kiran Stauffer - 51.68
22nd - Haley Sakbun - 51.80
25th - Elizabeth King - 52.15
31st - Eliza Bader - 53.54
32nd - Natalie Marshall - 53.68
EX - Emma Horton - 54.83
EX - Angelina Eliacin - 55.17
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
Advanced to B Finals - 2nd - Laura Wright - 2:12.85 - 2nd in Program History
Advanced to B Finals - 13th - Julia Ofman - 2:18.30 - 6th in Program History
Prelims
EX - Neely Agnew - 2:32.40
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:59.93 by Mallory Miles in 2013
Advanced to A Finals - 6th - Alexa Von Holtz - 2:01.43
Prelims
23rd - Sophia Kuehn - 2:09.97
Players Mentioned
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Back, Free
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Fly, IM
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