The Mid-American Conference has announced the final Male and Female Swimmers of the Weeks for the regular season, with the women’s championship coming up from February 25th-28th, and the men’s from March 4th-7th.
Women’s Swimmer of the Week
Laura Dawson, Ohio, Sophomore
Event & Time:
2:04.38 (200 butterfly)
2:00.23 (200 breaststroke)
2:06.75 (200 IM)
Sophomore Laura Dawson continues to be a force for the ‘Cats as they prepare for the MAC Championships and beyond. Dawson won two first-place finishes this weekend against rival Miami University, both in the 200 butterfly (2:04.38), and in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.23). She also recorded a third-place finish in the 200 IM, finishing with a time of 2:06.75. Dawson will be a Bobcat to keep an eye on as the team looks forward to the MAC competition.
Men’s Swimmer of the Week
Sean Sargent, Miami, Sophomore
Event & Time:
1st- 1M Diving – 325.27
2nd- 3M Diving – 347.77
Sophomore diver Sean Sargent racked up points for the RedHawks with two top finishes in the diving competition. Sargent first competed in the three-meter diving competition where he totaled 347.77 points, earning him second place. He returned later in the meet to win the one-meter competition with a final score of 325.27. Sargent’s efforts qualified him for zones in the three-meter and the one-meter. Miami defeated the Ball State Cardinals, 160-135.
Other Nominees
Franziska Wohlert, Bowling Green, Freshman
Event & Time:
100 back: first place, 57.30
200 back: first place, 2:03.25
200 medley relay: first place, 1:46.54
Newcomer Franziska Wohlert won two individual events Friday evening against Youngstown State and also swam on the winning 200 medley relay team. Wohlert placed first in the 100 backstroke, as well as the 200 backstroke, helping the team to a 177-122 victory to close out the season.
Audrey Rodawig, Ball State, Sophomore
Event & Time:
2nd – 200 Freestyle, 1:52.02
2nd – 100 Freestyle, 52.89
2nd – 100 Butterfly, 58.38
2nd – 400 Freestyle Relay, 3:33.83
Sophomore Audrey Rodawig completed four second place finishes on the day, including individuals in the 200 free (1:52.02), 100 free (52.89), and the 100 fly (58.38). She then combined with Jordan VanWinkle, Carlena Magley, and Elaine Pitsas for second in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:33.83. Rodawig’s time in the 200 free posted a new lifetime best, along with a new season best time in the 100 free. The Ball State women’s swimming and diving team earned three individual event wins against MAC opponent Toledo Saturday afternoon. Ball State ultimately fell to Toledo 188-112, despite racking up 23 top-three finishes in the Cardinals final conference event of the season.
Annie Marquiss, Miami, Senior
Events & Times:
1st- 50-yard freestyle- 23.79
1st- 100-yard freestyle- 52.28
1st- 400-yard freestyle relay- 3:29.72
Senior Annie Marquiss had a big day in her last regular season meet. She won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.79, 0.37 seconds faster than the second-place finisher. Marquiss also won the 100-yard freestyle, clocking in at 52.28, 0.33 seconds faster than the next competitor. She competed on the winning 400-yard freestyle team, touching the wall in 3:29.72. The team finished 1.14 seconds before Ohio University’s second-place team. Marquiss swam the last leg of the race in 51.93 seconds, which was also coincidentally 1.14 seconds faster than anyone else who swam that leg.
Maria Bargardi, Toledo, Senior
Events & Times:
200-yard medley relay (first – 1:46.30)
100-yard backstroke (first – 57.33)
200-yard backstroke (first – 2:03.27)
200-yard IM (second – 2:11.80)
Toledo senior Maria Bargardi had a senior day to remember on Saturday, Feb. 7 when the Rockets hosted Ball State. UT earned a 188-113 victory over the Cardinals at the UT Student Recreation Center as Bargardi won two individual events, while also swimming the first leg of a relay win and earning points for a second-place finish as well. In the first event of the meet, she helped the Rockets to a win in the 200-yard medley relay to capture the first points of the day. In the 100-yard backstroke, Bargardi would pull away to post a time of 57.33 for the win. Later in the day, she won by almost seven seconds in the 200-yard backstroke with a time of 2:03.27 for her third combined victory of the day. She was unable to go 4-for-4 in wins on the day, but still added a runner-up finish in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:11.80.
Joe Morris, Ball State, R-Senior
Event & Time:
1st – 100 Breaststroke, 57.01
1st – 200 Breaststroke, 2:06.38
1st – 200 Freestyle Relay, 1:24.88
Redshirt senior Joseph Morris clocked a first place finish in all three of his events, including the 100 breast (57.01) and 200 breast (2:06.38), and rounded out the day’s events by cinching the 200 free relay in a 1:24.88 fashion after combining with Cole Smith, Austin Green, and Logan Kisinger. The Ball State men’s swimming and diving team earned seven event wins Saturday afternoon over MAC opponent Miami, but ultimately fell in a final score of 160-135. The Cardinals marked an event sweep in the 200 IM in the process of clenching 21 top-three finishes.
Lucas Aquino, Southern Illinois, Sophomore
Event & Time:
50-yard Freestyle – 1st – 21.32
100-yard Butterfly – 1st – 49.40
400-yard Medley Relay – 2nd – 3:31.27
Lucas Aquino was instrumental in SIU’s win against Evansville on Feb. 7. Aquino won two events, while helping his team to a second place finish in the 400-yard medley relay. In the 50-yard freestyle, Aquino bested the field with his time of 21.32. He followed that performance by dominating the field in the 100-yard butterfly. His finish time of 49.40 was nearly four seconds faster than the second place finisher.
