Thursday, Oct. 22 Swim & Dive Schedule
Ball State vs. IU Indy, 3:00 PM

Saturday, Oct. 24Swim & Dive Schedule
Massachusetts vs. Yale (Scrimmage), 11:00 AM
Ball State vs. Indiana Intercollegiate, 12:00 PM
 

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Preview courtesy of Athletic Communications Departments

Ball State Cardinals 
The Ball State swimming and diving program returns to action for the 2026-27 season this week. The men's and women's teams open their campaigns on the road Thursday at IU Indy, followed by a trip Saturday to the Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate, hosted by Purdue. Competition starts at 3 p.m. on Thursday, while Saturday's meet is slated for noon. 

Cardinals at Jaguars
In 17 total meetings since 2000, Ball State leads the all-time series, 15-2, including 10 straight wins from 2000-15. IU Indy's only wins over the Cardinals came in 2016 (150-148.5) and 2018 (174-126). Both outcomes occurred inside the Jaguars' IU Natatorium. Just three meetings in the programs' series history have taken place at the Lewellen Aquatic Center (2026, 2023, 2006), with the Cardinals coming out victorious on all three occasions.

During last year's Senior Day, the women's team took a dominant 199-95 victory over the Jaguars. Payton Kelly and Anna Keen led the Cardinals with two individual victories each, while also helping Addie Beasley and Reagan Graves earn a first-place finish in the 400 medley relay (3:51.00). Ball State also received individual wins from Graves, Beasley, McKenna Potteiger, Ava Butterfield, Alyssa Messenger, Alexa Von Holtz and Maya McDonald, aiding the team's sweep of the freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke events. On the diving boards, Ella Penny earned her first victory of the season in the 1-meter (237.23).

Cardinals at Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate
Since 2006, the Cardinals have made 13 appearances at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center for the Indiana Intercollegiate, turning in 11 second-place finishes. Ball State has won the meet on two occasions (2025, 2017).

The women's squad opened last year at the Indiana Intercollegiate, scoring 584.5 points to narrowly defeat host Purdue (583). The Cardinals earned eight event victories and 22 podium finishes, led by Anna Keen and Payton Kelly, who contributed to three wins each. Keen won the 100 individual medley (55.90) and 100 breaststroke (1:03.21), while Kelly captured the 50 (22.52) and 100 (49.18) freestyle titles. Aubrey Simmons earned her first collegiate victory in the 100 butterfly (56.17), while Ball State took wins in the 200 medley (1:41.26), 500 freestyle (4:01.62) and 200 freestyle (1:32.70) relays.

2025-26 Recap
The women's team capped a historic Mid-American Conference Championships with 12 medals, including four gold, three silver and five bronze, while setting 10 program records across individual and relay events. The Cardinals totaled 500 points to finish third in the conference, marking the program's first top-three MAC finish since 1998.

Payton Kelly led the way with six medals and was responsible for some of the team's biggest performances, including MAC titles and program records in the 50 freestyle (21.88) and 100 backstroke (52.07), both of which earned NCAA qualifying marks. She also broke the program record in the 100 freestyle and was named both MAC Most Outstanding Swimmer and Most Outstanding Senior.

Other individual champions included Grace Walker on the 1-meter board (298.75) and Alexa Von Holtz in the 200 butterfly (1:58.75). Ball State's three silver medals came from Addy Czarnecki in the 1650 freestyle, Kelly in the 100 freestyle and the 200 medley relay. The Cardinals added five bronze medals, with Keen placing third in the 100 butterfly, Von Holtz in the 400 individual medley and Beasley in the 100 breaststroke. Ball State also earned bronze in the 400 medley and 200 freestyle relays.

Kelly, Walker, Keen and Von Holtz earned First Team All-MAC honors, while Czarnecki was named Second Team All-MAC. Head coach J Agnew was named the MAC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year.

At the CSCAA National Invitational Championship, Keen accounted for two medals, earning bronze in the 50 butterfly and capturing a championship finish in the 100 individual medley (54.35) while setting a meet record.

Field of Teams – Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate (9 Schools, 7 Co-Ed)
Ball State
Butler (Women)
DePauw
Indiana Wesleyan
IU Indy
Manchester
Purdue
Valparaiso
Indiana State (Women, Diving Only)

Live swimming results for Thursday's events are available on Meet Mobile. Live swimming results for Saturday's events are available here and on Meet Mobile. Live diving scores for Saturday's events are available on DiveMeets.