2023 Men’s MAC Championship Fan Guide: Miami Hunting Third-Straight Title

2023 MAC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS 

• Wednesday, March 1 – Saturday, March 4, 2023
• Oxford, OH
• Defending Champions
  • Men: Miami (OH) (2x)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• Fan Guide

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

WEDNESDAY – 3/1

• 200 Medley Relay
• 800 Free Relay

THURSDAY – 3/2

• 500 Free
• 200 IM
• 50 Free
• 1-Meter Diving
• 200 Free Relay

FRIDAY – 3/3

• 100 Fly
• 400 IM
• 200 Free
• 100 Breast
• 100 Back
• 400 Medley Relay

SATURDAY – 3/4

• 1650 Free
• 200 Back
• 100 Free
• 200 Breast
• 200 Fly
• 3-Meter Diving
• 400 Free Relay

2022 SEASON REVIEW

MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS STANDINGS

1. Miami (OH) – 823
2. Southern Illinois – 727
3. Missouri State – 688
4. Ball State – 428.5
5. Evansville – 354
6. Valparaiso – 191.5

Miami won their second-straight men’s MAC title last year, beating runner-up Southern Illinois by nearly 100 points. Missouri State was right behind SIU, finishing in third.

Notably, UIC joins the conference for the 2022-2023 season after previously competing in the Horizon League. At the 2022 Horizon League Championships, the Flames finished fourth out of seven teams.

SWIMMERS TO WATCH

BALL STATE: Joey Garberick (Jr. – Breast/Free), Isaac Hunter (Jr. – Diving), Reece Manning (So. – Backstroke/IM), Owen Chaye (Sr. – Free)

As a sophomore last year, Joey Garberick won the 100 breast in a huge performance. He also took third in the 200 breast and won the ‘B’ final of the 50 free. Coming into this meet, Garberick leads the MAC in the 100 breast this season.

Isaac Hunter had a great meet last year as a sophomore, finishing fourth in 1-meter and sixth in 3-meter.

In his freshman year, Reece Manning managed to be one of Ball State’s top scorers. At last year’s championships, Manning came in fifth in the 100 back and took 11th in the 200 IM. He notably scratched the 200 back on the final day of the meet, an event in which he likely would have scored.

Senior Owen Chaye looks poised for a big meet, coming in as Ball State’s top sprinter. Chaye enters the meet ranked third in the MAC this year in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 free. Last year, Chaye took third in the 50 free, but ended up scratching the 100 free.

EVANSVILLE: Alon Baer (Jr. – Breast/IM), Riccardo Domenico (Sr. – Free/Fly), Jackson Caudill (Jr. – Free/Fly), Patrik Vilbergsson (So. – Free/Back)

Alon Baer was the top scorer on the Aces last year. As just a sophomore, Baer took second in the 100 breast and 200 breast. he also was a ‘B’ finalist in the 200 IM. Baer is looking even better this season, coming into the meet ranked first in the conference in the 200 breast this season. He also comes in at third in the 100 breast.

Just a freshman last year, Patrik Vilbergsson tied Baer for Evansville’s top scorer at the MAC Championships. He placed fourth in the 1650 free, as well as eighth in both the 500 free and 200 back.

Senior Riccardo Domenico was another top performer for the team last year. At the 2022 MACs, he came in sixth in the 100 fly and eighth in the 100 free. He enters these championships ranked eighth in the 100 free in the conference this season.

Jackson Caudill, a junior, is coming off a sophomore season in which he came in sixth in the 1650 free and was a ‘B’ finalist in the 500 free and 200 fly.

MIAMI (OH): Owen Blazer (Jr. – Back/IM), Zach Bann (So. – IM/Back), Adrian Dulay (Jr. – Breast/Fly), Henju Duvenhage (Jr. – IM/Fly), Jackson Miller (So. – Diving)

As just a freshman last year, Jackson Miller was the top diver of the championships, winning both 1-meter and 3-meter diving events.

The Redhawks also return their top scorer from last year in Henju Duvenhage, who very nearly had a perfect meet last year. Duvenhaje swept the IMs last year, winning both the 200 IM and 400 IM. He also came in third in the 200 fly. Duvenhaje comes into these championships ranked first in the 200 IM and second in the 200 fly in the conference this season.

Adrian Dulay was another top performer for Miami last year. He won the 200 breast and took sixth in the 100 breast. On top of that, Dulay finished seventh in the 100 fly.

The Redhawks also have a great back/IM duo in Owen Blazer and Zach Bann. Blazer came in third in the 100 back and fourth in the 200 back last year, while Bann finished second in the 200 back. Bann was fifth in the 400 IM and won the ‘B’ final of the 200 IM, while Blazer came in fifth in the 200 IM as well.

MISSOURI STATE: Pawel Krawczyk (5th. – Free), Dylan Moffat (Jr. – Free), AJ Huskey (Jr. – Fly/Back/IM), Robbie Hill (Jr. – IM/Back/Fly)

Dylan Moffat, Missouri State’s leading scorer from last year, returns for his junior season. Moffat won the 500 free and 1650 free last year, taking third in the 400 IM as well.

Moffat and Pawel Krawczyk make a fantastic freestyle duo for the Bears. Krawczyk took third in the 500 free last year. He also came in second in the 200 free and second in the 200 fly.

Last year a sophomore, AJ Huskey finished second in the 200 IM and 400 IM. He also came in fourth in the 200 fly.

Robbie Hill came in fourth in the 100 back last year. He also finished fifth in the 200 back and sixth in the 200 IM. Hill is currently ranked third in the 200 back and fourth in the 100 back in the MAC this season.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS: Adam Cernak (Sr. – IM/Back), Donat Csuvarszki (Jr. – Free), Jack Khrypunov (So. – Fly/IM), Ruard Van Renen (Fr. – Free/Back)

The Salukis see their top scorer from last year return in sophomore Jack Khrypunov. As just a freshman, Khrypunov swept the fly events last year, winning the 100 and 200 fly. He also came in third in the 200 IM.

Senior Adam Cernak was another top performer for Southern Illinois last year. As a junior last year, he won the 100 back and 200 back. He also finished seventh in the 200 IM.

Donat Csuvarszki was the 50 free champion last year and leads the conference in the event this season. He also won the 100 free last year.

Freshman Ruard Van Renen is looking like he’ll make a massive impact in his first MAC Championships. Van Renen currently leads the MAC in the 100 back this season by over two seconds, making him overwhelmingly likely to win at least one title in his first MACs. He also leads the conference in the 200 back by nearly four seconds.

UIC: Jan Komorowski (Jr. – Free), Aidan Foley (Fr. – Breast), Liam Davis (Jr. – Free/Fly)

The newest addition to the MAC, UIC is making the transition to the conference this year. After a fourth place finish in the Horizon League last year, the Flames will be looking to make an impact in the MAC.

Jan Komorowski was an ‘A’ finalist in the 200 free, 500 free, and 1650 free at the Horizon League Championships last year. He comes into his first MAC Championships ranked sixth in the conference in the 500 free this season. He’s also ranked fourth in the 200 free.

Freshman Aidan Foley is looking like he’ll be a top breaststroker in the meet. He comes into his first MAC Championships as the fifth-fastest 100 breaststroker in the conference this season. Foley is also seeded to make the ‘A’ final in the 200 breast, having swum the eighth-fastest time in the conference this season.

Junior Liam Davis was an ‘A’ finalist in the 200 fly last year at the Horizon League Champs. He’s currently ranked tenth in the MAC this season in the event. Davis is also looking strong in the 1650 free, where he’s currently ranked ninth in the MAC this season.

VALPARAISO: Ricky Hemboldt (Fr. – Free), Jackson Oostman (Fr. – IM), Ethan Welker (So. – IM/Fly)

Freshman Ricky Hemboldt is looking poised to make an impact in his first MAC Championships. Hemboldt comes into the meet ranked 15th in the conference this season in the 1650 free.

Fellow freshman Jackson Oostman is also looking great coming into the meet. Oostman is the 12th-fastest 400 IM’er in the conference this season. He’s also floating close to the bubble to make the ‘B’ final in the 200 IM and 200 back.

Sophomore Ethan Welker had a good meet as a freshman last year. Welker was a ‘B’ finalist in the 400 IM and 200 fly.

SHOWDOWNS

50 Free

The 50 free looks like it should be a great race, as five men in the conference have already been under 20 seconds this season. Leading the way is SIU’s Donat Csuvarszki, who has been 19.80 already. Teammate Alex Santiago is next on the standings, having swum a 19.89 at mid-season. Ball State’s Owen Chaye comes in at 19.91, while two more Salukis, Mykyta Terentiev and Ruard van Renen, have been 19.95 and 19.99 respectively.

Csuvarszki won the event last year in 19.69.

500 Free

The 500 free should be a great race between Missouri State teammates Dylan Moffat, Brunno Suzuki and Pawel Krawczyk. Last year, the trio went 1-2-3 in the event, with Moffat winning in 4:20.58, Suzuki touching second with a 4:23.40, and Krawczyk taking third in 4:23.68.

This season, Krawczyk leads the conference with a 4:22.60, while Moffat comes in second with a 4:23.94. Suzuki is ranked fourth in the conference, having swum a 4:27.92.

Missouri State actually has the only swimmers in the conference who have been under 4:30 in the event this season, having five swimmers on the roster who have done so. Jonathan Hill is ranked third in the conference with a 4:27.08 and Aiden Dunn is fifth at 4:29.85.

100 Fly

The 100 fly is tightly packed coming into the meet. Reigning champion Jack Khrypunov leads the MAC this season with a 47.17. Miami’s Henju Duvenhage is ranked right behind, having swim a 47.35 already this season. Southern Illinois’ Ruard van Renen comes in third in the conference this season with a 47.46.

SWIMSWAM PREDICTIONS

1. Miami (OH)
2. Southern Illinois
3. Missouri State
4. Ball State
5. Evansville
6. UIC
7. Valparaiso

We’re going with Miami to win a third-straight men’s MAC title, though we think the top of this meet is going to be very close. Southern Illinois in particular is looking great this season and we expect they’ll improve on last year’s score. It’s definitely within the realm of possibility that SIU ends up stopping Miami from completing the three-peat, but either way, it should be a tight battle.