OXFORD, Ohio - The 2020 Mid-American Conference Men's Swimming and Diving Championships begin this evening in Oxford, Ohio on the campus of Miami University. The three-day championship will feature all five MAC men's swim and dive programs.

Events will begin Thursday evening at aproximately 6:30 PM begining with the 200-yard freestyle relay. 

Live results will be pushed through Meet Mobile. A live stream for each session will be available on Twitch

BALL STATE
The Cardinals have plenty to be excited about heading into the final meet of the 2020-21 season, starting with their progress at last season's MAC Championships.

At the 2020 league meet, the Cardinals placed fourth overall with a score of 420 points. It was the most points Ball State has scored at the MAC Championships in 14 years (491 in 2006), and the best team finish in 11 years (4th in 2009).

Three Cardinals earned Second Team All-MAC honors for their efforts at least year's meet, including now sophomore Jared Holder, who had a hand in three program records during his debut MAC Championship meet.

In fact, Holder is Ball State's top returning individual finisher from last year's meet, placing third in the 100 backstroke with a program-record time of 48.58. He would later break the record again by clocking in at 58.50 in the 100 back split of the 400 medley relay which finished with a program-record time of 3:17.32. 

Holder also opened for the 200 medley relay which tallied a program-record time of 1:29.91. Overall, Ball State's student-athletes finished the meet with five program records and 11 top 8 individual finishes.

Despite the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Cardinals have carried over the momentum into this season. Ball State has a 4-1 dual meet record, including an 180-108 win over Southern Illinois (Feb. 20), who the Cardinals are chasing for the third spot at this season's MAC Championships.

EVANSVILLE
Last year at the MAC Championship UE finished in fifth place with 356 combined points.

Riccardo Domenico holds the 7th fastest 200-yard freestyle in the conference this season. Domenico also holds the 10th fastest 50-yard fly and 6th fastest 100-yard fly.

Jackson Caudill posted the new school record in the 1000-yard freestyle against Bellarmine this season, which also ranks as the 6th fastest time in the MAC.

Last season at the MAC Championship Credence Pattinson broke the school record in the 100-yard butterfly. He enters this year's championship with the 5th fastest 50-yard backstroke and the 7th fastest 100-yard backstroke.

MIAMI
Coming Soon...

MISSOURI STATE
MSU is looking to go back-to-back as they won a MAC Championship in 2020 after a dominant performance which featured seven individual wins and one relay win. Overall, the Bears totaled 892 points over four days. 

Michael Claunch has been a force for the Bears on the boards recording zone-qualifying marks on both boards this season. As a result of his efforts, Claunch was named MAC Diver of the week twice (Jan. 21, March 24). 

The last time out back on March 19-20, MSU picked up to wins over Xavier, 126-91, 126-106 in a meet that took place in Terre Haute, Ind. 

In diving action against Xavier, the Bears swept both boards as Michael Claunch won both boards (300.00 1-meter, 312.00-meter), Trevor Fisher finished second (248.25 1-meter, 266.47 3-meter) and John David Spence finished third (245.25 1-meter, 243.68 3-meter). Jimmy Doromal picked up the win in the 200 breaststroke with a personal-best 2:02.22 while finishing second in the 100 breaststroke (56.74). 

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
The Salukis have brought the most team collective points at the MAC Championships since joining the conference in 2009. Hosting the championships at home, Southern placed third with 622 points last year. Breaking a two-year drought, the Salukis saw three swimmers tabbed First-Team All-MAC, including sophomore Adam Cernek. Junior Zheng Yang Yeap was named to Second-Team All-MAC status, along with two other graduated Salukis.

The Salukis saw numerous outstanding performances and career bests all season, specifically from the newcomers. Freshman Marc Avery battled for the best Saluki time all season in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle and freshman Gustav Persson has become Southern's breaststroke leader, taking top spots in the event all year and swimming the breaststroke leg in the 200- and 400-yard medley relays. Sophomore Sam Flessner has been swimming the distance, earning his new personal best in the 1000-freestyle event against Evansville.