Missouri State Holds 80 Point Lead After Day 3 of MAC Championships

Mid-American Conference (MAC) – Men

• Wednesday, March 4th-Saturday, March 7th
• Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois (Central Time Zone)
• Defending Champion: Miami (OH) (1x) (results)
• Championship Central
• Day 1 Results
• Day 2 Results
• Day 3 Results

TEAM SCORES (THROUGH DAY 3)

1. Missouri State – 607
2. Miami (OH) – 527
3. Southern Illinois – 370
4. Ball State – 286
5. Evansville – 239

Missouri State heads into the final day of the 2020 MAC Championships with an 80 point lead over defending champions Miami (OH). The Bears were golden again on Day 3, winning the 200 free, 100 breast, 400 IM, and 400 medley relay.

Missouri State sophomore Athur Cury, the 200 IM champion from Day 2, found himself at the top of the podium yet again tonight. Cury won the 200 free, swimming a 1:36.71, to beat out defending champion Pawel Krawczyk (1:37.29), also a sophomore at Missouri State. Miami senior Nick Ward used his sprint power to take the race out much faster than anyone else, splitting 21.72 and 24.09 on the first two 50s, for a 45.81 on the first 100. Cury was next fastest at 46.75. Krawczyk came home the fastest, splitting 24.94 and 24.76 on the last two 50s, for a 49.70 on the last 100.

The Bears posted another 1-2 finish in the 100 breast, with junior Michael Hampel leading the way in 54.55. Conner Funke, an MSU sophomore, was right behind, touching in 2nd with a 54.73. Miami junior Noah Barr was right with the MSU duo at the 50 mark, but came home just a tiny bit slower, touching in 54.77. The race marked Hampel’s first title in the event, and the 3rd year in a row Missouri State has won the event. Barr is the defending champion in the 200 breast, so we’ll be looking out for his performance tomorrow.

Missouri State senior Antonio Thomas won his first title of the meet, and his first 400 IM title of his career. Thomas swam a 3:52.13, leading for nearly all of the race. Teammate Tyler Lewis, a freshman, came in 2nd with a 3:54.97, marking a 3rd 1-2 finish on the night for Missouri State.

Missouri State’s final victory on Day 3 came in the 400 medley relay. Senior Conner Ripp led the team off in 48.87, with Michael Hampel following in 53.96. Senior Jake Schultz swam the fly leg, splitting 48.50, and Arthur Cury anchored in 44.01, touching in a final time of 3:15.34. Miami finished in a very close 2nd, touching in 3:15.85, but the Redhawks only out-split Missouri State on the backstroke leg. Cole Grosshans led Miami off in 48.65. Southern Illinois had the fastest back split in the field. Freshman Adam Cernek led the field of backstrokers, splitting 48.18. Evansville freshman Riccardo Domenico had the fastest fly split in the field, coming in at 47.80.

Adam Cernek was the winner of the 100 back, swimming a 47.69 to claim victory. Cernek swam slightly faster in prelims, where he clocked a 47.64. It was runner-up Cole Grosshans who took the race out the fastest. Grosshans swam a 22.50 on the first 50, 0.59 seconds faster than Cernek. He faded coming home, splitting 25.82 on the 2nd 50, while Cernek swam a 24.60. Grosshans’ final time came in at 48.32.

Miami picked up one win on the night, with Spencer Klinsky, a junior, touching first in the 100 fly. Klinsky led a tight field, using a 25.81 on the 2nd 50 to finish in 48.45.