2022-23 / AS A SENIOR
• Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient
• Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• Academic All-District
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Competed primarily in the IM events and the 200 backstroke
• Posted his season-best times in the 400 IM (3:54.91) at the Big Ten Championships
• Season best in the 200 IM (1:48.77) was at the Purdue Invitational
• Won his heat of the 100 breast and finished 10th overall at the Indiana Intercollegiates
• Accounted for 12 team points at the Purdue Invite, highlighted by winning the B final of the 400 IM
• Also scored in the B final of the 200 IM while also qualifying for the C final of the 100 breast and 200 back (1:49.27)
2021-22 / AS A JUNIOR
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Competed primarily in the IM events as well as the 200 backstroke
• Posted career-best times in the 200 (1:48.92) and 400 IM (3:52.28) at the First Chance meet, locking up a roster spot at the Big Ten Championships the following week
• Moved into 13th place in team history in the 400 IM
• Posted a career best in the 200 back (1:47.74) at Big Tens
• Scored in the B finals of the 400 IM and 200 back at the Purdue Invitational; also was a C finalist in the 200 IM
• Scored in the C finals of the 200 back and 400 IM at Big Tens
• Victorious in the 200 IM at the Senior Day dual vs. Wabash
2020-21 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Competed primarily in the IM events and 200 backstroke
• Posted career-best times in the 200 IM (1:49.29) and 200 back (1:48.48) at the Big Ten Championships
• Registered a career best in the 400 IM (3:56.33), which ranked second on team for the season, at the Senior Day triple dual with Indiana and Ohio State
• Also won his heat of the 200 IM at the Senior Day meet
• Helped the Boilermakers finish on the podium in the 4x100 free relay at the Speedo Summer Championships in Greensboro in August
• Also helped the Boilermaker Aquatics win the 200 and 400 free relays at the Indiana Senior State Championships in July
• Won silver in the 200 back individually at Senior State
• Selected to serve as a Boiler SAAC team representative during the 2021-22 school year
2019-20 / AS A FRESHMAN
• Competed primarily in the individual medley events and 200 backstroke
• Posted season-best times in the 200 back (1:49.78) and 400 IM (3:58.13) at the First Chance meet at Indiana
• Earned one of the final roster spots for the Big Ten Championships with his performance at the First Chance meet
• At Big Tens, posted his season best in the 200 IM (1:50.61)
• Won heat 2 of the prelims and scored in the B final of the 400 IM at the Purdue Invitational
• Also qualified for the C finals of the 200 back and 200 IM at the Purdue Invite
• Qualified for the quarterfinal race of the 50 back ladder tournament at the FIU Sprint Invitational
• Ranked third on the team in the 400 IM and fourth in the 200 back
• Selected to serve as a Boiler SAAC team representative during the 2020-21 school year
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner for coach Andy Pedersen at Hamilton Southeastern High School in suburban Indianapolis
• Three-year Indiana state finalist, qualifying in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM as a senior
• Helped HSE’s relays reach the state finals all three years as well
• Four-year scholar athlete award winner had the highest GPA on the team each of his upperclassman seasons
• Team MVP, team captain and King Mental Attitude Award recipient as a senior
• Newcomer of the year as a freshman, most improved as a sophomore
• Helped HSE win conference and sectional titles as a senior
• Also swam for the Southeastern Swim Club, winning three straight Senior Swimmer of the Year awards from 2016 to 2018
• Graduated summa cum laude with an AP Capstone Diploma
• National Merit Scholarship Finalist as a two-year AP Scholar with Distinction
• Honored with Set A Good Example (S.A.G.E) and AP + Project Lead the Way Student Achievement awards
• National Honor Society and student athletic council member
PERSONAL
• Major: Biology
• Full name is Blake Matthew Ratliff
• Born in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Parents are Tony and Kathy Ratliff
• Family also includes younger sisters Brooke and Bailey
• Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship Recipient
• Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree
• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
• Academic All-District
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Competed primarily in the IM events and the 200 backstroke
• Posted his season-best times in the 400 IM (3:54.91) at the Big Ten Championships
• Season best in the 200 IM (1:48.77) was at the Purdue Invitational
• Won his heat of the 100 breast and finished 10th overall at the Indiana Intercollegiates
• Accounted for 12 team points at the Purdue Invite, highlighted by winning the B final of the 400 IM
• Also scored in the B final of the 200 IM while also qualifying for the C final of the 100 breast and 200 back (1:49.27)
2021-22 / AS A JUNIOR
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Competed primarily in the IM events as well as the 200 backstroke
• Posted career-best times in the 200 (1:48.92) and 400 IM (3:52.28) at the First Chance meet, locking up a roster spot at the Big Ten Championships the following week
• Moved into 13th place in team history in the 400 IM
• Posted a career best in the 200 back (1:47.74) at Big Tens
• Scored in the B finals of the 400 IM and 200 back at the Purdue Invitational; also was a C finalist in the 200 IM
• Scored in the C finals of the 200 back and 400 IM at Big Tens
• Victorious in the 200 IM at the Senior Day dual vs. Wabash
2020-21 / AS A SOPHOMORE
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Competed primarily in the IM events and 200 backstroke
• Posted career-best times in the 200 IM (1:49.29) and 200 back (1:48.48) at the Big Ten Championships
• Registered a career best in the 400 IM (3:56.33), which ranked second on team for the season, at the Senior Day triple dual with Indiana and Ohio State
• Also won his heat of the 200 IM at the Senior Day meet
• Helped the Boilermakers finish on the podium in the 4x100 free relay at the Speedo Summer Championships in Greensboro in August
• Also helped the Boilermaker Aquatics win the 200 and 400 free relays at the Indiana Senior State Championships in July
• Won silver in the 200 back individually at Senior State
• Selected to serve as a Boiler SAAC team representative during the 2021-22 school year
2019-20 / AS A FRESHMAN
• Competed primarily in the individual medley events and 200 backstroke
• Posted season-best times in the 200 back (1:49.78) and 400 IM (3:58.13) at the First Chance meet at Indiana
• Earned one of the final roster spots for the Big Ten Championships with his performance at the First Chance meet
• At Big Tens, posted his season best in the 200 IM (1:50.61)
• Won heat 2 of the prelims and scored in the B final of the 400 IM at the Purdue Invitational
• Also qualified for the C finals of the 200 back and 200 IM at the Purdue Invite
• Qualified for the quarterfinal race of the 50 back ladder tournament at the FIU Sprint Invitational
• Ranked third on the team in the 400 IM and fourth in the 200 back
• Selected to serve as a Boiler SAAC team representative during the 2020-21 school year
HIGH SCHOOL
• Four-year varsity letterwinner for coach Andy Pedersen at Hamilton Southeastern High School in suburban Indianapolis
• Three-year Indiana state finalist, qualifying in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM as a senior
• Helped HSE’s relays reach the state finals all three years as well
• Four-year scholar athlete award winner had the highest GPA on the team each of his upperclassman seasons
• Team MVP, team captain and King Mental Attitude Award recipient as a senior
• Newcomer of the year as a freshman, most improved as a sophomore
• Helped HSE win conference and sectional titles as a senior
• Also swam for the Southeastern Swim Club, winning three straight Senior Swimmer of the Year awards from 2016 to 2018
• Graduated summa cum laude with an AP Capstone Diploma
• National Merit Scholarship Finalist as a two-year AP Scholar with Distinction
• Honored with Set A Good Example (S.A.G.E) and AP + Project Lead the Way Student Achievement awards
• National Honor Society and student athletic council member
PERSONAL
• Major: Biology
• Full name is Blake Matthew Ratliff
• Born in Indianapolis, Indiana
• Parents are Tony and Kathy Ratliff
• Family also includes younger sisters Brooke and Bailey