Two Silvers and Three Program Records Lead Women's S&D to Close MAC Championships
March 01, 2025 | Women's Swimming and Diving
BUFFALO – Junior Payton Kelly and sophomore Alexa Von Holtz added two more silvers to the Cardinals' medal count, as the women's swimming and diving program closed the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championships Saturday evening with three program records at Buffalo University's Alumni Arena Natatorium & Dorsi Raynolds Pool.
Kelly secured her third-straight freestyle medal and individual program record of the four-day event after she claimed silver in the 100 freestyle with a time of 48.89, overtaking her then record time of 49.03 which earned her bronze at the previous year's MAC Championships.
Holtz followed with a silver medal of her own in the 200 butterfly, knocking 0.6 off her previous program standard set last year, as she took second with a time of 1:58.52. Holtz's second-place finish was a notable improvement from her sixth-place finish in the same event at last year's championships.
The program records didn't stop there, as the 400 freestyle relay team of Anna Keen, Ava Butterfield, Haley Sakbun and Kelly combined for a time of 3:20.89, placing fifth.
Junior Callie Tuma finished seventh on the podium in the longest event of the weekend, touching the wall with a time of 17:05.20 in the 1650 freestyle.
Also scoring individual points in the finals Saturday evening were McKenna Potteiger, who placed 10th in the 1650 freestyle (17:11.85); Olivia Owens, who placed 13th in the 200 backstroke (2:00.05); Keen, who placed 11th in the 100 freestyle (49.89); and Julia Ofman, who placed 15th in the 200 butterfly (2:20.68).
The Cardinals scored another 94 points on the final day of the MAC Championships, raising its four-day total to 305.5 which placed fifth among the eight-team field. Ball State's student-athletes earned four total medals and set six program records.
For her stellar performance over the four-day meet, Kelly earned First Team All-MAC, as she led the Cardinals with 52.5 total points. Earning Second Team All-MAC honors were the impressive duo of Keen, who scored 35 total points, and Holtz, who scored 32.
Up next for several Cardinals are possible postseason competitions between the NCAA Zone Diving Championships (March 13-15), the CSCAA National Invitational Championships (March 13-16) and the NCAA Championships (March 19-22).
Final Team Standings
1. Akron - 726.5 points
2. Ohio - 637.5 points
3. Miami - 623 points
4. Buffalo - 567.5 points
5. Ball State - 305.5 points
6. Bowling Green - 254.5 points
7. Eastern Michigan - 215 points
8. Toledo - 175.5 points
Ball State Results on Day 4 of the MAC Championships
SATURDAY EVENING FINAL RESULTS
1650 Freestyle | Program Record - 16:32.61 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
7th – Callie Tuma – 17:05.20
10th – McKenna Potteiger – 17:11.85
17th – Kayla Newman – 17:37.46
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
13th – Olivia Owens – 2:00.05
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 48.82 by Payton Kelly in 2025
2nd – Payton Kelly – 48.82 - Program record
11th – Anna Keen – 49.89 – 3rd in program history
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
15th - Julia Ofman – 2:20.68
16th- Laura Wright – 2:21.89
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:58.52 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2025
2nd – Alexa Von Holtz – 1:58.52 – Program record
400 Freestyle Relay | Program Record - 3:20.89 by Keen, Butterfield, H. Sakbun, Kelly in 2025
4th – Anna Keen, Ava Butterfield, Haley Sakbun, Payton Kelly - 3:20.89 – Program record
SATURDAY MORNING PRELIM RESULTS
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
Advanced to B Finals – 9th – Olivia Owens – 1:59.41 – 2nd in program history
Prelims
19th – Ava Butterfield – 2:02.84
22nd – Alyssa Messenger – 2:03.42
23rd – Lilia Newkirk – 2:04.05
28th – Lauren Fecher – 2:07.41
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.03 by Payton Kelly in 2024
Advanced to A Finals – 4th – Payton Kelly – 49.53
Advanced to B Finals – 9th – Anna Keen – 50.10
Prelims
26th – Haley Sakbun – 52.22
39th – Natalie Marshall – 55.04
EX – Kiran Stauffer – 54.08
EX – Eliza Bader – 54.27
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
Advanced to B Finals – 15th – Julia Ofman – 2:19.98
Advanced to B Finals – 16th – Laura Wright – 2:20.91
Prelims
21st – Maya McDonald – 2:22.99
28th – Magdalena Lechowska – 2:28.26
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:58.58 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2024
Advanced to A Finals – 2nd – Alexa Von Holtz – 2:01.06
Prelims
26th – Savannah Farlee – 2:14.71
Kelly secured her third-straight freestyle medal and individual program record of the four-day event after she claimed silver in the 100 freestyle with a time of 48.89, overtaking her then record time of 49.03 which earned her bronze at the previous year's MAC Championships.
Holtz followed with a silver medal of her own in the 200 butterfly, knocking 0.6 off her previous program standard set last year, as she took second with a time of 1:58.52. Holtz's second-place finish was a notable improvement from her sixth-place finish in the same event at last year's championships.
The program records didn't stop there, as the 400 freestyle relay team of Anna Keen, Ava Butterfield, Haley Sakbun and Kelly combined for a time of 3:20.89, placing fifth.
Junior Callie Tuma finished seventh on the podium in the longest event of the weekend, touching the wall with a time of 17:05.20 in the 1650 freestyle.
Also scoring individual points in the finals Saturday evening were McKenna Potteiger, who placed 10th in the 1650 freestyle (17:11.85); Olivia Owens, who placed 13th in the 200 backstroke (2:00.05); Keen, who placed 11th in the 100 freestyle (49.89); and Julia Ofman, who placed 15th in the 200 butterfly (2:20.68).
The Cardinals scored another 94 points on the final day of the MAC Championships, raising its four-day total to 305.5 which placed fifth among the eight-team field. Ball State's student-athletes earned four total medals and set six program records.
For her stellar performance over the four-day meet, Kelly earned First Team All-MAC, as she led the Cardinals with 52.5 total points. Earning Second Team All-MAC honors were the impressive duo of Keen, who scored 35 total points, and Holtz, who scored 32.
Up next for several Cardinals are possible postseason competitions between the NCAA Zone Diving Championships (March 13-15), the CSCAA National Invitational Championships (March 13-16) and the NCAA Championships (March 19-22).
Final Team Standings
1. Akron - 726.5 points
2. Ohio - 637.5 points
3. Miami - 623 points
4. Buffalo - 567.5 points
5. Ball State - 305.5 points
6. Bowling Green - 254.5 points
7. Eastern Michigan - 215 points
8. Toledo - 175.5 points
Ball State Results on Day 4 of the MAC Championships
SATURDAY EVENING FINAL RESULTS
1650 Freestyle | Program Record - 16:32.61 by Marcella Ribeiro in 2021
7th – Callie Tuma – 17:05.20
10th – McKenna Potteiger – 17:11.85
17th – Kayla Newman – 17:37.46
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
13th – Olivia Owens – 2:00.05
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 48.82 by Payton Kelly in 2025
2nd – Payton Kelly – 48.82 - Program record
11th – Anna Keen – 49.89 – 3rd in program history
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
15th - Julia Ofman – 2:20.68
16th- Laura Wright – 2:21.89
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:58.52 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2025
2nd – Alexa Von Holtz – 1:58.52 – Program record
400 Freestyle Relay | Program Record - 3:20.89 by Keen, Butterfield, H. Sakbun, Kelly in 2025
4th – Anna Keen, Ava Butterfield, Haley Sakbun, Payton Kelly - 3:20.89 – Program record
SATURDAY MORNING PRELIM RESULTS
200 Backstroke | Program Record - 1:58.73 by Emily Wisolek in 2013
Advanced to B Finals – 9th – Olivia Owens – 1:59.41 – 2nd in program history
Prelims
19th – Ava Butterfield – 2:02.84
22nd – Alyssa Messenger – 2:03.42
23rd – Lilia Newkirk – 2:04.05
28th – Lauren Fecher – 2:07.41
100 Freestyle | Program Record - 49.03 by Payton Kelly in 2024
Advanced to A Finals – 4th – Payton Kelly – 49.53
Advanced to B Finals – 9th – Anna Keen – 50.10
Prelims
26th – Haley Sakbun – 52.22
39th – Natalie Marshall – 55.04
EX – Kiran Stauffer – 54.08
EX – Eliza Bader – 54.27
200 Breaststroke | Program Record - 2:11.77 by Bridgette Ruehl in 2013
Advanced to B Finals – 15th – Julia Ofman – 2:19.98
Advanced to B Finals – 16th – Laura Wright – 2:20.91
Prelims
21st – Maya McDonald – 2:22.99
28th – Magdalena Lechowska – 2:28.26
200 Butterfly | Program Record - 1:58.58 by Alexa Von Holtz in 2024
Advanced to A Finals – 2nd – Alexa Von Holtz – 2:01.06
Prelims
26th – Savannah Farlee – 2:14.71
Players Mentioned
Fly, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly/Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back/Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/Fly
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free, Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back, Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Back
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free/IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Free
/ 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
Fly, IM
/ Women's Swimming and Diving
Breast
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