This weekend's Eastern Michigan Invitational may be the biggest challenge of the regular season for the men's and women's swimming and diving teams.
The meet is loaded with tough teams on both sides. Besides Eastern Michigan, the defending Mid-American Conference champion, the men's side features No. 6 Michigan, Michigan State and MAC opponents Toledo and Bowling Green.
"This will definitely be the toughest invitational," coach Bob Thomas said. "Anytime you get to swim against the best, hopefully it brings out the best in yourself."
Senior Mark Golden said he and his teammates are anticipating a competitive meet.
"We're pretty excited, it's always fun to swim against fast people and big names," Golden said.
The Cardinals will rely on the strength of their key swimmers, including Golden, junior Chris Krupa, junior Gavin McNeeley, junior Casey Schroeder and sophomore Michael Weber.
Krupa was a nominee for the MAC Swimmer of the Week last week and is the Cardinals' highest point-scorer this season.
"He's swimming at his best right now, and I'm very pleased with his performance," Thomas said. "He's very talented and has a great competitive drive."
Teams competing against Ball State on the women's side include No. 13 Michigan and two ranked Division II schools in No. 21 Wayne State and No. 24 Findlay.
"We're looking at it as like a midseason peak meet," coach Laura Seibold-Caudill said. "It's almost like a dress rehearsal for the MAC championships in terms of the level of competition."
Senior Maria Gramelspacher is the reigning MAC Swimmer of the Week after posting four wins in the Doug Coers Invitational at Ball State. She is the owner of the fastest 200-yard butterfly time in the MAC this season and the eighth-fastest 100 butterfly time.
"I've been nominated before but never won," Gramelspacher said. "I just basically try to do my best each week."
Seibold-Caudill was more effusive in her praise of Gramelspacher. She said Gramelspacher was "directive" in her leadership and isn't afraid to hold teammates accountable if the intensity drops.
"Her leadership and work ethic are unbelievable and really contagious," Seibold-Caudill said.
Read More
AP: Biden's upcoming graduation speech roils Morehouse College, a center of Black politics and culture
By The Associated Press / YesterdayWhen he gives the commencement address at Morehouse College, President Joe Biden will have his most direct engagement with college students since the start of the Israel-Hamas war at a center of Black politics and culture.
Indiana Capital Chronicle: Rokita warns Indiana college officials to guard against campus antisemitism
By Indiana Capital Chronicle / 2 days agoAttorney General Todd Rokita on Wednesday issued a warning to postsecondary officials: “Hateful antisemitic acts against Jewish students will not be tolerated.”
Battling Lupus: Ball State student shares his battle with an autoimmune disease
By Ball Bearings / 3 days agoThroughout my life, I would’ve never assumed that something “bad” would happen to me. Growing up generally healthy, the thought of being ill would’ve never crossed my radar, but sometimes life takes you in an unexpected direction.
