Wednesday, February 26
Buffalo, NY
All Day
Ball State University
at
Mid-American Conference Championships
Women's S&D Open MAC Championships Wednesday at Buffalo
February 24, 2025 | Women's Swimming and Diving
MUNCIE, Ind. – After months of preparation, the Ball State women's swimming & diving program will put all its hard work to the test this week at Buffalo University's Alumni Arena Natatorium & Dorsi Raynolds Pool for the 2025 Mid-American Conference Swimming & Diving Championships.
Action in the four-day meet begins Wednesday (Feb. 26) at 6 p.m. with a pair of relay swims. Individual action gets underway Thursday (Feb. 27) and will run through Saturday (March 1).
Live results will be available on Meet Mobile, while links for video coverage will be provided on the official championship website: https://getsomemaction.com/tournaments/?id=238&path=wswim
AT THE 2024 MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Cardinals captured four medals, including one gold, one silver and two bronze at last year's MAC Championships, earning the women a fifth-place finish with 330 total points. Ball State also walked away from the four-day event with two program records and 11 top 10 times set.
Juniors Payton Kelly and Callie Tuma earned First Team All-MAC honors for their stellar performances throughout competition.
Tuma earned her All-MAC selection after becoming the first Cardinal to capture a league title since 2021, taking first in the 1650 freestyle with a time of 16:44.16 on the final day.
Kelly earned both of Ball State's program records at the MAC Championships in the 100 (49.03) and 200 (1:47.61) freestyles. Her program-topping time in the 100 earned bronze in the event. Kelly also secured her second straight silver medal in the 50 freestyle (22.40) on day two, completing her impressive efforts in the freestyle sprints.
Graduate student Laura Wright captured Ball State's fourth and final medal of the four-day event, placing third in the 200 breaststroke (2:13.69) and winning the first league medal of her collegiate career.
IN THE MAC RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have nine student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into the MAC Championships.
Women's Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MAC Top 16
50 Freestyle: 2nd - Payton Kelly (22.52) / T-7th - 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: 16th – McKenna Potteiger (4:59.72)
1000 Freestyle: 2nd – McKenna Potteiger (10:11.92) / 8th – Payton Kelly (10:19.26) / 11th – Callie Tuma (10:22.81)
1650 Freestyle: 4th – McKenna Potteiger (17:03.20) / 5th – Callie Tuma (17:05.32)
100 Backstroke: 15th – Ava Butterfield (55.56)
200 Backstroke: 7th – Olivia Owens (2:00.06) / 14th – Alyssa Messenger (2:01.19)
100 Breaststroke: 11th - Laura Wright (1:03.14) / 15th – Anna Keen (1:03.49)
200 Breaststroke: N/A
100 Butterfly: 3rd – Anna Keen (53.84)
200 Butterfly: 2nd – Alexa Von Holtz (1:59.70)
200 IM: 10th – 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.) – 265.65* on 1M / 276.00 on 3M
Hannah Justice (Jr.) - 223.50 on 1M / 217.27 on 3M
Eeva-Liisa Gibson (Fr.) – 227.03 on 1M / 222.98 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 50 individual event wins and seven relay victories so far this season.
2024-25 Women's Individual Event Winners (50)
15 - 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)
Jan. 31 at Akron: 50 Freestyle (23.18) / 100 Freestyle (50.70)
Feb. 7 vs. ISU and Butler: 200 Freestyle (1:48.97)
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)
4 - 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)
Feb. 7 vs. ISU and Butler: 100 Butterfly (54.47)
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)
1 – Callie Tuma (Jr.)
Feb. 7 vs. ISU and Butler: 400 IM (4:32.66)
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)
Action in the four-day meet begins Wednesday (Feb. 26) at 6 p.m. with a pair of relay swims. Individual action gets underway Thursday (Feb. 27) and will run through Saturday (March 1).
Live results will be available on Meet Mobile, while links for video coverage will be provided on the official championship website: https://getsomemaction.com/tournaments/?id=238&path=wswim
AT THE 2024 MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Cardinals captured four medals, including one gold, one silver and two bronze at last year's MAC Championships, earning the women a fifth-place finish with 330 total points. Ball State also walked away from the four-day event with two program records and 11 top 10 times set.
Juniors Payton Kelly and Callie Tuma earned First Team All-MAC honors for their stellar performances throughout competition.
Tuma earned her All-MAC selection after becoming the first Cardinal to capture a league title since 2021, taking first in the 1650 freestyle with a time of 16:44.16 on the final day.
Kelly earned both of Ball State's program records at the MAC Championships in the 100 (49.03) and 200 (1:47.61) freestyles. Her program-topping time in the 100 earned bronze in the event. Kelly also secured her second straight silver medal in the 50 freestyle (22.40) on day two, completing her impressive efforts in the freestyle sprints.
Graduate student Laura Wright captured Ball State's fourth and final medal of the four-day event, placing third in the 200 breaststroke (2:13.69) and winning the first league medal of her collegiate career.
IN THE MAC RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have nine student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into the MAC Championships.
Women's Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MAC Top 16
50 Freestyle: 2nd - Payton Kelly (22.52) / T-7th - 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: 16th – McKenna Potteiger (4:59.72)
1000 Freestyle: 2nd – McKenna Potteiger (10:11.92) / 8th – Payton Kelly (10:19.26) / 11th – Callie Tuma (10:22.81)
1650 Freestyle: 4th – McKenna Potteiger (17:03.20) / 5th – Callie Tuma (17:05.32)
100 Backstroke: 15th – Ava Butterfield (55.56)
200 Backstroke: 7th – Olivia Owens (2:00.06) / 14th – Alyssa Messenger (2:01.19)
100 Breaststroke: 11th - Laura Wright (1:03.14) / 15th – Anna Keen (1:03.49)
200 Breaststroke: N/A
100 Butterfly: 3rd – Anna Keen (53.84)
200 Butterfly: 2nd – Alexa Von Holtz (1:59.70)
200 IM: 10th – 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.) – 265.65* on 1M / 276.00 on 3M
Hannah Justice (Jr.) - 223.50 on 1M / 217.27 on 3M
Eeva-Liisa Gibson (Fr.) – 227.03 on 1M / 222.98 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 50 individual event wins and seven relay victories so far this season.
2024-25 Women's Individual Event Winners (50)
15 - 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)
Jan. 31 at Akron: 50 Freestyle (23.18) / 100 Freestyle (50.70)
Feb. 7 vs. ISU and Butler: 200 Freestyle (1:48.97)
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)
4 - 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)
Feb. 7 vs. ISU and Butler: 100 Butterfly (54.47)
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)
1 – Callie Tuma (Jr.)
Feb. 7 vs. ISU and Butler: 400 IM (4:32.66)
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)
Players Mentioned
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Diving
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Dive
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/Fly
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Free, Back
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Free, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Diving
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Back, Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back
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Free
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Back
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/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Fly, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Fly, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly, IM
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Diving
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Diving
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