Milligan Swimming posts six NAIA No. 1 times and three program records at Gamecock Invite

COLUMBIA, S.C. (November 15, 2023) – Three program records fell on the first day of the Milligan University swim team's midseason meet at the Gamecock Invitational on Wednesday.

The Buffs squared off against NCAA Division I squads such as Southern Carolina, Vanderbilt and UNC Wilmington as well as NCAA Division II's top squad, the University of Tampa, at the Carolina Natatorium.

Hanne te Velthuis set Milligan's 50-yard freestyle program record in the morning session and swam an NAIA No. 1 time with a 24.14 effort.

Milligan set two men's relay records and recorded national No. 1 times in the evening session. Paxton Smith, Andre Bazzana, Stephen Gilbert and Caleb Fry swam to a record time (1:22.39) in 200 yard free relay. Smith, Fry, Sergio Tudor and Gilbert set the Buffs' 400-yard medley relay by nearly two seconds with a mark of 3:19.58.

The Buffs' women's 200 free relay unit of Gabby MacPherson, Mary Grace Bitting, Samantha van Vuure and te Vethius posted the nation's top time of 1:37.09.

Gilbert led five men with NAIA national provisional times in the 200-yard IM. Gilbert finished ninth overall in the evening final with an NAIA No. 1 time of 1:50.84. Andre Bazzana (1:55.28) and Ben Hawkins (1:57.05) finished in the top 30 and Nate Halloran (1:57.81) and Jack Allen (1:58.82) met the standard in the morning session.

Five men went under the national provisional standard in the 500 free. Jacob Miller led the way with a time of 4:40.39. Peter Gilbert (4:41.73), Cole Brusher (4:44.93), Michael Cellucci (4:51.68) and Nicholas Harviel (4:51.10) joined Miller as national qualifiers.

Fry and Smith both notched top-20 finishes with provisional swims in the 50 free. Fry finished 12th in 20.76 and Smith followed in 19th in 21.01. RJ Brumit (21.89), Brusher (21.89) and Tudor (21.90) each notched provisional standards in the morning session.

Riley Renaud and MacPherson recorded provisional standards in the women's 500 free. Renaud swam 5:06.57, a national No. 1 time, and MacPherson posted a 5:10.35. MacPherson also logged a provisional time in 50 free (24.67), along with Liz Mahan (25.00) and Suzy Aguirre (25.42).

Bitting and van Vuure were provisional qualifiers in the women's 200 IM. Bitting made the evening session and recorded a time of 2:10.80. Van Vuure went 2:11.87 in the morning session.

The Gamecock Invitational continues tomorrow with the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 back, 200 medley relay and 800 free relay.