Garberick Completes Breaststroke Sweep To Close MAC Championships

CARBONDALE, Ill. - - The fourth time was the charm for senior Joey Garberick who became the first swimmer to sweep the breaststroke events at the Mid-American Conference Championships since 2014 by taking home his first career 200 breaststroke title Saturday evening at SIU's Shea Natatorium.

After capturing his fourth consecutive 100 breaststroke title Friday evening by tying the MAC record at 51.93, Garberick blew away the competition in Saturday's finals, winning the event by over three seconds with a new program standard of 1:54.78. He also broke the previous program record in the prelims with a time of 1:56.27.

Garberick had been working his way up the 200 breaststroke podium, earning bronze as a freshman and sophomore, while taking silver last season.

Like Friday night, the gold would not be Garberick's only medal of the night as he wrapped up the 2024 MAC Championships by joining senior Owen Chaye, sophomore Jacob Siewers and junior Ethan Pheifer on the second-place 400 freestyle relay. The quartet combined for a program record time of 2:57.16.

The Cardinals started the final night of the championships with freshman Tommy Brunner taking fifth in the 1650 freestyle with the second-fastest time in program history at 15:42.91.

Junior Max Kruglov followed by tying the second-fastest 200 backstroke effort at 1:48.44 on his way to a 10th-place finish in the event.

Chaye would lead the Cardinals in the 100 freestyle, winning the consolation heat in 44.12, while senior Bryce Handshoe would follow Garberick's win in the 200 breaststroke with a fourth-place effort of 1:46.93 in the 200 butterfly. Handshoe's mark in the final individual swimming event of the championships was also a program record.

In the diving well, sophomore Porter Brovont concluded his second run at the MAC Championships with a fourth-place score of 301.10.

Overall, 13 more Cardinals competed in event finals on Saturday, including four in their respective top heats.

As a team, the Cardinals placed fifth overall with 414 points. Miami won the title for the fourth consecutive season with 724 points. Over the course of the four-day event, the Cardinals won medals in seven events, while setting 10 program records.

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 27-30).

Final Team Standings
1. Miami- 724 points
2. Missouri State- 679.5 points
3. Southern Illinois- 657.5 points
4. UIC- 532 points
5. Ball State- 414 points
6. Evansville- 262 points
7. Valparaiso- 125 points

Ball State Results on Day 4 of MAC Championships

FINALS SESSION

1650 Freestyle | Program Record - 15:33.58 by Magnus Ohlsson in 1995
5th - Tommy Brunner - 15:42.91 - 2nd in Program History
12th - Alexander Eddy - 15:57.87 - 6th in Program History
17th - Seth Blossom - 16:16.86
18th - Zach Zishka - 16:24.24

200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:48.22 by Logan Ackley in 2020
10th - Max Kruglov - 1:48.44 - T-2nd in Program History

100 Freestyle | Program Record - 43.58 by Owen Chaye in 2023
9th - Owen Chaye - 44.12
12th - Jacob Siewers - 44.83

200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 1:54.78 by Joey Garberick in 2024
1st - Joey Garberick - 1:54.78 - Program Record
13th - Michael Burns - 2:01.80

200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:46.93 by Bryce Handshoe in 2024
4th - Bryce Handshoe - 1:46.93 - Program Record
12th - Michael Mitsynskyy - 1:50.55
16th - Reeve Ferber - 1:51.89

3M Diving | Program Record - 359.25 by Wyatt Blake in 2023
4th - Porter Brovont - 301.10
14th - Wyatt Blake - 274.70
15th - Isaac Hunter - 245.05

400 Freestyle Relay | Program Record - 2:57.16 by Chaye, Siewers, Garberick, Pheifer in 2024
2nd - Owen Chaye, Jacob Siewers, Joey Garberick, Ethan Pheifer - 2:57.16 - Program Record

MORNING SESSION

200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:48.22 by Logan Ackley in 2020
Advanced to B Finals - 13th - Max Kruglov - 1:49.29 - 4th in Program History
Prelims
EX - Chance Buckles - 1:49.69 - 5th in Program History
EX - Logan Ayres - 1:51.28 - T-8th in Program History

100 Freestyle | Program Record - 43.58 by Owen Chaye in 2023
Advanced to B Finals - 10th - Owen Chaye - 44.55
Advanced to B Finals - 11th - Jacob Siewers - 44.67 - 2nd in Program History
Prelims
19th - Ethan Pheifer - 45.63
20th - Mason Young - 45.74
EX - Auston Shafer - 48.40

200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 1:54.78 by Joey Garberick in 2024
Advanced to A Finals - 1st - Joey Garberick -1:56.27
Advanced to B Finals - 10th - Michael Burns - 2:00.87 - 4th in Program History
Prelims
17th - Aidan Biddle - 2:04.25 - 7th in Program History
EX - Noah Berryman - 2:07.22

200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:47.75 by Bryce Handshoe in 2023
Advanced to A Finals - 7th - Bryce Handshoe - 1:47.89
Advanced to B Finals - 11th - Michael Mitsynskyy - 1:50.09 - T-3rd in Program History
Advanced to B Finals - 16th - Reeve Ferber - 1:50.90 - T-5th in Program History
Prelims
17th - Benjamin Clarkston - 1:50.97 - 7th in Program History
22nd - Kenny Reed - 1:56.87

Garberick Completes Breaststroke Sweep To Close MAC Championships

Players Mentioned

Logan Ayres

Noah Berryman

Aidan Biddle

Wyatt Blake

Wyatt Blake

Seth Blossom

Porter Brovont

Tommy Brunner

Chance Buckles

Michael Burns

Owen Chaye

Benjamin Clarkston

Alexander Eddy

Reeve Ferber

Joey Garberick

Bryce Handshoe

Isaac Hunter

Max Kruglov

Michael Mitsynskyy

Ethan Pheifer

Kenny Reed

Auston Shafer

Jacob Siewers

Mason Young

Zach Zishka

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