Men's S&D Finishes Regular Season at Butler Invite This Weekend

Sunday, February 1

Fishers, IN

12:30 pm

Ball State University

Butler Invitational

Men's S&D Finishes Regular Season at Butler Invite This Weekend

January 30, 2026 | Men's Swimming and Diving

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men's swimming and diving program competes in its final meet before the 2026 Missouri Valley Conference Championships as it travels to Fishers, Ind. for the Butler Invitational Feb. 1. The Cardinals join the field of teams which includes Butler (W) and Valparaiso (M&W). Competition at the Fishers High School Natatorium is slated to start at 12:30 p.m.

Due to a schedule change from inclement weather, which saw the invite postponed from its original date of Jan. 25, Xavier, Bowling Green, and UIndy will not be competing at the invite.

The men's squad has taken first at the Butler Invite in consecutive years, topping the field of six teams in 2024, and the field of four in 2025. At last year's invite, Ball State earned seven event wins along with 30 top five finishes and two top three sweeps in the 50 freestyle and 200 IM.

The Cardinals were last in action Jan. 23 when it hosted IU Indy for the program's Senior Day. The men captured five event wins but ultimately fell to the Jaguars 175-124. AJ Friend made up two of those wins in the 50 freestyle (20.92) and 100 butterfly (49.55) and joined William Raches, George Patterson and Benjamin Clarkston to take first in the 200 freestyle relay (1:23.27). Patterson saw his team-high sixth win of the season after placing first in the 200 freestyle (1:41.67). On the 1-meter board, Zach Shaddy earned his highest score of 332.48, earning second in the event.

Valparaiso is riding a winning streak of five, with dual victories over Green Bay (Nov. 8), Rose-Hulman (Jan. 9), Bethel (Jan. 16), Wabash (Jan. 26), and Illinois Wesleyan (Jan. 24). In conference action, the Beacons saw defeat at the hands of Evansville (Oct. 18), falling 228-65.

Fans can follow the action during Sunday's meet via Meet Mobile.

IN THE MVC RANKINGS
In the latest NCAA Division I Top Time Rankings as compiled by CollegeSwimming.com, the Cardinals have 13 student-athletes ranked in scoring position in their respective events heading into this weekend's meets.

Men's Swimmers Currently Ranked in the MVC Top 16
50 Freestyle: 8th – AJ Friend (20.16) / 12th – Jacob Siewers (20.33) 14th – Benjamin Clarkston (20.53)
100 Freestyle: 3rd – Jacob Siewers (44.12) / 8th – William Raches (44.44) / 9th – George Patterson (44.47)
200 Freestyle: 2nd – George Patterson (1:35.98) / 4th – Jacob Siewers (1:36.74) / 16th – Malcolm Slater (1:39.24)
500 Freestyle: 6th – George Patterson (4:27.13) / 10th – Malcolm Slater (4:29.37)
1000 Freestyle: 6th – Malcolm Slater (9:26.20) / 14th – Tommy Brunner (9:36.36)
1650 Freestyle: 7th – Tommy Brunner (15:55.26) / 9th – Malcolm Slater (15:58.90)
100 Backstroke: 6th – William Raches (48.58)
200 Backstroke: 12th – Ike Ruszkowski (1:48.86) / 16th – Max Kruglov (1:49.70)
100 Breaststroke: 4th – Aidan Biddle (53.95) / 14th – Reeve Ferber (56.23)
200 Breaststroke: 8th – Aidan Biddle (2:01.04) / 15th – Ike Ruszkowski (2:03.11)
100 Butterfly: 6th – AJ Friend (48.27) / 14th – Henry Ko (49.53) / 15th – Luke Pryor (49.56)
200 Butterfly: 8th – AJ Friend (1:47.72) / 14th – Henry Ko (1:49.90) / 15th – Luke Pryor (1:49.93) / 16th – Benjamin Clarkston (1:50.94)
200 IM: N/A
400 IM: 10th – Malcolm Slater (3:58.28) / 15th – Max Kruglov (4:01.79)
200 Freestyle Relay: 3rd – Ball State (1:19.83)
400 Freestyle Relay: 2nd – Ball State (2:56.24)
800 Freestyle Relay: 3rd – Ball State (6:36.94)
200 Medley Relay: 4th – Ball State (1:28.32)
400 Medley Relay: 4th – Ball State (3:15.18)

FROM THE DIVING BOARDS:
Junior Zach Shaddy currently leads the Cardinals on the 1M board (332.48) and 3M board (352.20).

Ball State Divers Top Results in 2025-26
Porter Brovont (Sr.) – 312.70* on 1M / 322.35* on 3M
Zach Shaddy (Jr.) – 332.48* on 1M / 352.20* on 3M
Ryan Farmer (Fr.) – 280.00 on 1M / 336.40* on 3M
Mitchell Mauck (So.) - 271.73 on 1M / 257.70 on 3M
Emilio Perez (So.) – 234.83 on 1M / 250.88 on 3M
NCAA Zone Diving Qualifying Marks: 300 on 1M / 320 on 3M

MAC AWARD WINNERS:
So far this season, the Cardinals have claimed one Missouri-Valley Conference weekly award, with Malcolm Slater earning his first career honor on Oct. 28.

Swimming Award Winners
10/28/25 – Malcolm Slater MVC Men's Swimmer of the Week

EVENT WINNERS:
As a squad, the Cardinals have chalked up 31 individual event wins, and seven relay wins so far this season.

2025-26 Men's Individual Event Winners (31)
6 – George Patterson (Fr.)
       Oct. 11 at Indiana Intercollegiates: 200 Freestyle (1:38.09)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: 200 Freestyle (1:41.64)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 200 Individual Medley (1:54.71)
       Nov. 21 at House of Champions: 200 Freestyle (1:35.98)
       Jan. 16 at Miami (OH): 200 Freestyle (1:39.81)
       Jan. 23 vs. IU Indy: 200 Freestyle (1:41.67)

4 – Jacob Siewers (Sr.)
       Oct. 11 at Indiana Intercollegiates: 100 Freestyle (44.79)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: 100 Freestyle (45.28)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 50 Freestyle (21.33) / 100 Freestyle (45.87)

4 – Malcolm Slater (Jr.)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: 1000 Freestyle (9:36.66) / 500 Freestyle (4:37.98)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 200 Freestyle (1:42.09)
       Jan. 16 at Miami (OH): 500 Freestyle (4:37.31)

3 – Aidan Biddle (Jr.)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: 100 Breaststroke (56.06)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 100 Breaststroke (56.51)
     Jan. 16 at Miami (OH): 100 Breaststroke (56.22)

3 – William Raches (Jr.)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: 100 Backstroke (51.02)
       Jan. 16 at Miami (OH): 100 Backstroke (51.69)
       Jan. 23 vs. IU Indy: 100 Freestyle (46.95)

3 – AJ Friend (So.)
         Jan. 16 at Miami (OH): 100 Butterfly (49.23)
        Jan. 23 vs. IU Indy: 50 Freestyle (20.92) / 100 Butterfly (49.55)

2– Henry Ko (Fr.)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: 200 Butterfly (1:53.59)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 500 Freestyle (4:46.32)

2 – Zach Shaddy (Jr.)
       Jan. 16 at Miami (OH): 1-Meter (316.70) / 3-Meter (321.15)

1 – Ike Ruszkowski (So.)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: 200 Backstroke (1:53.53)

1 – Tommy Brunner (Jr.)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 1000 Freestyle (9:58.23)

1 – Colin Walrond (Fr.)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 100 Backstroke (51.40)

1 – Benjamin Clarkston (Sr.)
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: 100 Butterfly (50.69)

2025-26 Men's Relay Winners (7)
3 - 200 Freestyle Relay
       Oct. 11 at Indiana Intercollegiates: Clarkston, Siewers, Patterson and Friend (1:21.90)
       Oct. 24 at UIC: Friend, Raches, Clarkston, Siewers (1:22.76)
     Jan. 23 vs. IU Indy: Friend, Raches, Patterson, Clarkston (1:23.77)

2 – 400 Freestyle Relay
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: Friend, Siewers, Patterson, Clarkston (3:04.31)
       Nov. 22 at House of Champions: Friend, Patterson, Raches, Siewers (2:56.24)

1 – 400 Medley Relay
       Oct. 24 at UIC: Raches, Biddle, Friend, Siewers (3:20.74)

1 – 200 Medley Relay
       Nov. 8 vs. Bellarmine: Raches, Biddle, Friend, Clarkston (1:31.34)