Smeltzer gets more NAIA cuts

Katy Smeltzer earned four more national cuts.

She and three of her teammates are among the contenders for a national championship.

Smeltzer, a 2015 Jay County High School graduate, was part of four relays to earn NAIA national cuts for the University of the Cumberlands women’s swim team for its efforts in a two-day tri-meet on Friday and Saturday at Asbury.

Smeltzer joined Houston Burgoon, Mendy De Rooi and Christina Klouda in the 400-yard freestyle relay that was second in 3 minutes, 41.36 seconds, which was runner up. The quartet earned a national cut with the second-fastest time in the nation. 

Keiser’s relay team beat the Patriot squad by less than a second.

Smeltzer was also part of the 200 freestyle relay that won in 1:40.35 to earn a national cut, and did so again as the 400 medley B relay was fourth and the 200 medley B relay placed fifth.

Individually, Smeltzer was third in the 50 freestyle (25.69) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (1:03.6).

University of the Cumberlands, which is ranked third in the nation, defeated Asbury 222-88, but lost to second-ranked Keiser 176-136.

Kiah Wendel

Fort Rec. – 2018

Averaged 11 digs per match for the Owens Community College volleyball team as it crept two wins away from a national championship.

The freshman defensive specialist totaled 43 digs over four matches as the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III No. 1 Express won the District Tournament Friday and Saturday.

She had a dozen digs in the tournament opener against Ann Arundel Community College on Friday, then followed with a 19-dig effort in a sweep of Sandhills Community College.

The next day, Wendel had a pair of digs in a 3-0 triumph over Butler County before finishing with 10 digs against Lorain County, a 3-0 win to claim the title.

Thursday, Wendel finished with 14 digs as the Express (38-6) swept Queensborough in the national tournament quarterfinal.

Kendra Siefring

Fort Recovery – 2016

Helped power the University of Saint Francis volleyball team to the Crossroads League Tournament final as the Cougars outlasted Indiana Wesleyan in five sets on Wednesday.

Siefring finished with 13 kills, two blocks, one ace and a dig as USF got its first 30-win season.

She also had nine kills, a dig and one block in a 3-0 sweep of Huntington in the tournament opener on Saturday.

The Cougars (30-7), who pushed their home winning streak to 17 matches, also earned a berth in the NAIA Championship tournament.

Saint Francis meets Marian — the Knights and Cougars split the season series — at 6 p.m. on Saturday in Indianapolis.

Cassidy Rammel

Fort Recovery – 2015

Notched 19 kills through two conference tournament games for the USF volleyball squad.

She had a dozen kills to go with seven digs and one block in the tournament semifinal win on Wednesday after contributing seven kills and three digs in the opener against Huntington on Saturday.

Ava Kunkler

Jay County – 2016

Also played for the USF volleyball team as it earned a berth in the Crossroads League Tournament championship match for the second consecutive year.

Kunkler finished with 12 kills and a pair of blocks in the semifinal triumph over Indiana Wesleyan.

In the first round of the tournament on Saturday, Kunkler notched five kills in the sweep against Huntington.

Alex Bader

Jay County – 2018

Earned the first two wins of her collegiate career on Friday, helping the Ball State women’s swim team defeat Eastern Illinois, 204-77.

The freshman got her first win in the 50-yard freestyle with her time of 24.4 seconds, then followed it up with a first-place time of 2 minutes, 26.38 seconds, to win the 200 breaststroke.

Bader joined her cousin Anne Vormohr and sister Sophie to take second in the 200 medley relay in 1:50.34. Vormohr handled the backstroke leg in 27.85 seconds, Sophie swam the butterfly leg in 26.74 seconds and Alex finished the freestyle portion in 25.06 seconds.

Alex was also third in the 100 butterfly on Saturday in a defeat to Akron.

Anne Vormohr

Jay County – 2016

Picked up an individual victory for Ball State’s women’s swim team on Friday in its win over Eastern Illinois.

Vormohr won the 100-yard backstroke with her time of 58.2 seconds. She was later third in the 100 freestyle in 54.56 seconds.

In a defeat to Akron on Saturday, Vormohr was third in the 50 backstroke and fourth in the 100 backstroke.

Sophie Bader

Jay County – 2018

Also won an event for the Ball State women’s swim team in the victory over Eastern Illinois.

She touched the wall in 1 minute, 58.19 seconds to beat the field in the 200-yard freestyle.

On Saturday in a setback to Akron, the junior was fifth in both the 100 and 400 individual medley events.

Madi Wurster

South Adams – 2018

Amassed a career-high kill total for the Purdue Fort Wayne volleyball team on Sunday in a 3-1 win over North Dakota State.

The freshman tallied 14 kills, reaching double digits for the first time in her career and surpassing her previous high by five. She also finished with a dig.

A day earlier, Wurster tallied nine kills, two digs, one block and an assist as the Mastodons (16-12, 7-7 Summit League) swept North Dakota.

Cady Farlow

South Adams – 2015

Earned a pair of third-place finishes for the Purdue women’s swim team on Friday in a double dual with Wisconsin and Tennessee.

The senior had a time of 2 minutes, 17.16 seconds, to place third in the 200-yard breaststroke, then went 1:03.1 in the 100 breaststroke to also finish third.

She competed as part of the Boilermaker’s 200 medley B relay, but took off early to begin her breaststroke leg and got the quartet disqualified.

The Boilermakers defeated Wisconsin 155-140, but lost to Tennessee 188-111.

Zach Colpaert

South Adams – 2018

Was part of a winning relay for the Wabash College swim team on Friday as it dropped a 147.5-143.5 decision to DePauw.

Colpaert handled the third leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay that won with a time of 3 minutes, 11.96 seconds.

He was also runner-up in the 50 freestyle (22.64) and fourth in the 100 freestyle (49.35).

The following day, Colpaert was fourth in the 50 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle as the Little Giants beat Rose-Hulman 156-144.

Ashton Klopp

South Adams – 2017

Got a pair of individual wins for the University of Findlay women’s swim team on Friday in a 179-54 win against Ohio Wesleyan.

The sophomore had a time of 1 minute, 2.1 seconds, to take first in the 100-yard individual medley. She also swam to a time of 5:31.47 to win the 500 freestyle event.

Saturday, the Oilers beat Ashland 135-96 and Klopp was fifth in the 200 IM.

Brette Klopp

South Adams – 2017

Also swam for the University of Findlay women’s swim team in its victory over Ohio Wesleyan.

She was third in the 100-yard individual medley behind her sister Ashton, and placed fifth in the 200 breaststroke.

On Saturday, she was fourth in the 100 backstroke.

Olivia Von Gunten

South Adams – 2018

Ran for the Huntington University women’s cross country team on Saturday as it competed in the Crossroads League Championships at Taylor.

The freshman finished the 5K race in 21 minutes, 28.5 seconds, which was 77th overall. She was fourth on the squad for the Foresters, who totaled 196 points for eighth out of 10 teams.

Host Taylor took six of the top seven individual spots as it scored 17 points to win the team title.