Women's S&D Prepare For Competition at Akron

MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State women's swimming and diving program gets its final taste of #MACtion dual competition Friday evening when it hits the road to take on three-time defending league champion Akron. The meet takes place at the Oliver J. Ocasek Natatorium at 5 p.m.

Junior Payton Kelly dominated the sprint freestyle events in the Cardinals' last dual outing against Akron during the 2022-23 season, finishing first in the 50 (23.57), 100 (51.47) and 200 (1:52.48). Kelly also joined senior Gracey Payne as she swam anchor for the winning 400 freestyle relay team (3:27.48).

Graduate student Laura Wright took the top prize that afternoon in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.18) after she and senior Hannah Jones opened the meet with a first-place finish as members of the 200 medley relay team (1:44.43).

Fans can follow the action in Friday's meet via Meet Mobile or watch live on the Zips Digital Network.

IN THE MAC RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have 10 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into Friday's competition at home.

Women's Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MAC Top 16
50 Freestyle: 1st - Payton Kelly (22.52) / 6th - Anna Keen (22.82)
100 Freestyle: 2nd – Payton Kelly (49.06) / 10th – Anna Keen (50.10)
200 Freestyle: 2nd - Payton Kelly (1:47.77)
500 Freestyle: 15th – Callie Tuma (5:00.14)
1000 Freestyle: 4th – McKenna Potteiger (10:17.41) / 7th – Payton Kelly (10:19.26) / 9th – Callie Tuma (10:23.18)
1650 Freestyle: 4th – McKenna Potteiger (17:03.20) / 5th – Callie Tuma (17:05.32)
100 Backstroke: N/A
200 Backstroke: 7th – Olivia Owens (2:00.06) / 11th – Alyssa Messenger (2:01.19)
100 Breaststroke: 11th - Laura Wright (1:03.14) / 15th – Anna Keen (1:03.49)
200 Breaststroke: 15th – Julia Ofman (2:20.06)
100 Butterfly: 2nd – Anna Keen (53.84) / 16th – Ava Butterfield (56.00)
200 Butterfly: 2nd – Alexa Von Holtz (1:59.70)
200 IM: 9th – Alexa Von Holtz (2:03.40)
400 IM: 5th - Alexa Von Holtz (4:21.48) / 13th McKenna Potteiger (4:27.61)
200 Freestyle Relay: 4th – Ball State (1:31.95)
400 Freestyle Relay: 5th - Ball State (3:23.29)
800 Freestyle Relay: 5th – Ball State (7:31.98)
200 Medley Relay: 5th - Ball State (1:41.02)
400 Medley Relay: 5th – Ball State (3:42.94)

FROM THE DIVING BOARDS:
Graduate Grace Walker currently leads the Cardinals on both the 1M (293.10) and 3M (276.68) boards, with her 1M score being an NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying mark and the fourth-best individual score for six dives in program history.

Ball State Divers Top Results in 2024-25
Grace Walker (Gr.) - 293.10* on 1M / 276.68 on 3M
Leelah Fettig (So.) – 253.05 on 1M / 259.50 on 3M
Hannah Justice (Jr.) - 223.50 on 1M / 201.68 on 3M
Eeva-Liisa Gibson (Fr.) – 217.65 on 1M / 221.10 on 3M
Tommy-Anne Marriott (Fr.) - 185.85 on 1M / 237.30 on 3M
NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying Marks: 265 on 1M / 280 on 3M

MAC AWARD WINNERS:
So far this season, the Cardinals have already claimed one Mid-American Conference weekly award with junior Payton Kelly claiming her fifth career honor on December 11.

Swimming Award Winners:
12/11/2024 - Payton Kelly MAC Women's Swimmer of the Week

EVENT WINNERS:
As a squad, the Cardinals have chalked up 45 individual event wins and seven relay victories so far this season.

2024-25 Women's Individual Event Winners (45)
12 - Payton Kelly (Jr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Freestyle (51.97) / 200 Freestyle (1:51.25)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 50 Freestyle (23.60) / 100 Freestyle (51.83)
      Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Freestyle (52.30)
  Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 100 Backstroke (57.16) / 1000 Freestyle (10:19.26)
      Dec. 5-7 at Miami Invitational: 50 Freestyle (22.52) / 200 Freestyle (1:47.77) / 100 Freestyle (49.06)
      Jan. 18 vs. Bowling Green: 200 Freestyle (1:53.94) / 100 Freestyle (51.49)

7 - Alexa Von Holtz (So.)
     Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 200 Butterfly (2:05.06)
     Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 200 Butterfly (2:02.62) / 200 IM (2:07.28)
     Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 200 Freestyle (1:57.05) / 100 Butterfly (57.44)
     Dec. 5-7 at Miami Invitational: 200 Butterfly (1:59.70)
     Jan. 18 vs. Bowling Green: 200 Butterfly (2:02.61)

7 - Laura Wright (Gr.)
     Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Butterfly (1:04.76) / 200 Butterfly (2:23.46)
Oct. 18 at Miami: 100 Butterfly (1:04.90) / 200 Butterfly (2:21.96)
     Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Breaststroke (1:04.71) / 200 Breaststroke (2:21.08)
Jan. 18 vs. Bowling Green: 100 Breaststroke (1:05.38)

3 - Anna Keen (Fr.)
     Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 50 Freestyle (24.61)
        Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 50 Freestyle (23.69)
     Jan. 18 vs. Bowling Green: 50 Freestyle (24.34)

3 - McKenna Potteiger (Fr.)
Oct. 18 at Miami: 1000 Freestyle (10:28.48)
Jan. 18 vs. Bowling Green: 1000 Freestyle (10:27.95) / 500 Freestyle (5:07.67)

3 - Grace Walker (Gr.)
      Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 1M Diving (293.10) / 3M Diving (276.68)
      Oct. 18 at Miami: 1M Diving (283.50)

2 - Leelah Fettig (So.)
Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 1M Diving (253.05) / 3M Diving (242.63)

2- Alyssa Messenger (Jr.)
Nov. 8 at IU Indy: 100 Backstroke (57.65) / 200 Backstroke (2:04.16)

2 - Lilia Newkirk (Sr.)
Oct. 12 vs. UIC: 100 Backstroke (57.69) / 200 Backstroke (2:05.10)

2 - Kiran Stauffer (Jr.)
Oct. 18 at Miami: 200 Butterfly (2:03.88) / 400 IM (4:32.57)

1 - Kayla Newman (So.)
Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 500 Freestyle (5:14.11)

1 - Haley Sakbun (Jr.)
     Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: 100 Freestyle (53.79)

2024-25 Women's Relay Winners (7)
4 - 200 Medley Relay
Oct. 12 vs. UIC: Newkirk, Wright, Keen, Kelly (1:44.68)
    Nov. 8 at IU Indy: Messenger, Ofman, Keen, Kelly (1:44.92)
    Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: Messenger, Ofman, Bader, Sakbun (1:47.56)
    Jan. 18 vs. Bowling Green: Newkirk, Wright, Keen, Kelly (1:45.00)

3 - 400 Freestyle Relay
Oct. 12 vs. UIC: Keen, Sakbun, Stauffer, Kelly (3:30.84)
      Nov. 23 at Bellarmine: Stauffer, Sakbun, Tuma, Kelly (3:37.54)
      Jan. 18 vs. Bowling Green: Keen, Sakbun, Butterfield, Kelly (3:31.08)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ava Butterfield

Leelah Fettig

Eeva-Liisa Gibson

Hannah Jones

Hannah Justice

Anna Keen

Payton Kelly

Tommy-Anne Marriott

Alyssa Messenger

Lilia Newkirk

Kayla Newman

Julia Ofman

Olivia Owens

Gracey Payne

McKenna Potteiger

Haley Sakbun

Kiran Stauffer

Callie Tuma

Alexa Von Holtz

Grace Walker

Laura Wright