Men's S&D Opens MAC Championships Wednesday at SIU

MUNCIE, Ind. - - After months of preparation, the Ball State men's swimming & diving program will put all its hard work to the test this week at the Shea Natatorium for the 2024 Mid-American Conference Championships.

Action in the four-day meet hosted by Southern Illinois begins Wednesday (March 6) with a pair of relay swims. Individual action gets underway Thursday (March 7) and will run through Saturday (March 9).

Live results will be available on meet mobile, while links for live video coverage will be provided on the official championship website: https://getsomemaction.com/tournaments/?id=218&path=mswim

2024 MAC Men's Swimming & Diving Championship Schedule

Wednesday, Mar. 6	Thursday, Mar. 7	Friday, Mar. 8	Saturday, Mar. 9
Finals - 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT	Prelims - 11:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. CT (Doors open at 10:30 a.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. CT)	Prelims - 11:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. CT (Doors open at 10:30 a.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. CT)	Prelims - 11:30 a.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. CT (Doors open at 10:30 a.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. CT)
200 Medley Relay	500 Freestyle	100 Butterfly	200 Backstroke
800 Freestyle Relay	200 IM	400 IM	100 Freestyle
	50 Freestyle	200 Freestyle	200 Breaststroke
	Prelims – 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT	100 Breaststroke	200 Butterfly
	1M Diving	100 Backstroke	Finals - 4:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. CT (Doors open at 4:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. CT)
	Finals - 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT (Doors open at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT)	Prelims – 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT	1650 Freestyle - First Heat of Time Finals
	500 Freestyle - Consolation & Championship Heats	3M Diving	Finals – 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT
	200 IM Consolation & Championship Heats	Finals – 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT (Doors open at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT)	1650 Freestyle - Championship Heat
	50 Freestyle Consolation & Championship Heats	100 Butterfly Consolation & Championship Heats	200 Backstroke Consolation & Championship Heats
	1M Diving Finals	400 IM Consolation & Championship Heats	100 Freestyle Consolation & Championship Heats
	400 Medley Relay Championship Heat	200 Freestyle Consolation & Championship Heats	200 Breaststroke Consolation & Championship Heats
		100 Breaststroke Consolation & Championship Heats	200 Butterfly Consolation & Championship Heats
		100 Backstroke Consolation & Championship Heats	3M Diving – Finals
		3M Diving - Consolation	400 Freestyle Relay
		200 Freestyle Relay Finals

Ball State will be looking to build upon last season's success at the MAC Championships, in which it broke 12 program records, won a pair of event championships and claimed 11 total medals.

Ball State scored a total of 457 points and finished fourth overall as a team. It was the program's second-highest point total at the MAC Championships since 2005, trailing only the 511.50 scored in 2021.

AT THE 2023 MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS:
The Cardinals opened the 2023 MAC Championships with a bang, winning the 200 medley relay with a program record time of 1:26.35. It was Ball State's first MAC relay title since winning the 200 free and 200 medley relays in 1996.

Overall, the Cardinals broke all five relay records at the four-day meet including the 800 freestyle relay (6:37.50), 200 freestyle relay (1:19.35), 400 medley relay (3:12.42) and 400 freestyle relay (3:12.42). BSU also took second in both the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay, as well as third in the 400 medley relay.

On an individual front, Joey Garberick earned First Team All-MAC honors after winning his third straight title in the 100 breaststroke with a program record time of 52.17. He would also place second in the 200 breaststroke at 1:57.69.

Porter Brovont was a two-time silver medalist, taking second on both the 1M (303.65) and 3M (298.00) diving boards. The effort helped him earn MAC Freshman Diver of the Year honors, as well as Second Team All-MAC accolades.

Owen Chaye also claimed a pair of medals and second Team All-MAC honors by placing second in the 100 freestyle with a program record time of 43.58 and third in the 50 freestyle with a program record effort of 19.89.

Rounding out Ball State's medalists was Bryce Handshoe with a third-place effort tin the 100 fly (48.13). Handshoe's prelim time of 47.93 was a program record, as was his 200 butterfly finals time of 1:47.75

Along with the 10 program records above, the Cardinals received new standards from Zach Zishka in the 400 IM (3:57.18) and Jacob Siewers in the 200 freestyle (1:38.80).

IN THE MAC RANKINGS:
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have 15 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into the Mid-American Conference Championships.

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 (20.03) / T-12th - Ethan Pheifer (20.63) / T-12th - Joey Garberick (20.63)
100 Freestyle: 2nd - Owen Chaye (43.85) / 12th - Jacob Siewers (45.00)
200 Freestyle: 5th - Jacob Siewers (1:38.62) / 12th - Malcolm Slater (1:39.77) / 16th - Owen Chaye (1:40.78)
500 Freestyle: 4th - Malcolm Slater (4:31.74) / 5th - Tommy Brunner (4:32.09)
1000 Freestyle: 7th - Malcolm Slater (9:34.27) / 10th - Tommy Brunner (9:37.64) / 14th - Alexander Eddy (9:43.07)
1650 Freestyle: 4th - Malcolm Slater (15:48.96) / 12th - Tommy Brunner (16:04.91) / 13th - Alexander Eddy (16:05.16)
100 Backstroke: 6th - Joey Garberick (49.33) / 7th - Ethan Pheifer (49.58)
200 Backstroke: 12th - Max Kruglov (1:50.51) / 16th - 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: 7th - Bryce Handshoe (1:48.87) / 13th - Michael Mitsynskyy (1:50.85) / 14th - Malcolm Slater (1:50.90) / 15th - Benjamin Clarkston (1:51.28)
200 IM: 8th - Michael Burns (1:51.00) / T-12th - Max Kruglov (1:52.29) / 16th - Ethan Pheifer (1:52.60)
400 IM: 10th - Malcolm Slater (4:01.07) / 12th - 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 with a NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying scores of 317.70 on 1M and 328.50 on 3M.

Ball State Divers Top Results in 2023-24
Porter Brovont (So.) - 317.70* on 1M / 328.50* on 3M
Isaac Hunter (Sr.) - 292.95 on 1M / 313.05 on 3M
Wyatt Blake (5th Sr.) - 261.68 on 1M / 312.45 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 Garberick earning 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 43 individual event wins and eight relay victories so far this season. Senior Joey Garberick leads the squad with 11 event wins, while fifth-year senior Owen Chaye is right behind with 10. Both have also swum on seven of the eight winning relays.

2023-24 Men's Individual Event Winners (43 Total)
11 - 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)
   Feb. 10 at SIU - 100 Breaststroke (54.87) / 200 Breaststroke (2:03.97)

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)

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)

3 - Bryce Handshoe (5th Sr.)
   Oct. 14 at UIC - 100 Butterfly (50.63)
   Nov. 3 vs. IUPUI - 100 Butterfly (50.39)
   Feb. 10 at SIU - 200 Butterfly (1:53.44)

2 - Porter Brovont (So.)
   Feb. 10 at SIU - 1M Diving (307.73) / 3M Diving (328.50)

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

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)

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

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

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

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

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

Next Event

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

Max Kruglov

Michael Mitsynskyy

Ethan Pheifer

Jacob Siewers

Malcolm Slater

Zach Zishka