Men’s swimming receives votes in latest national poll

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Oct. 30, 2020) – A successful season opener has many eyes on the Milligan University men's swimming team, as the NAIA on Friday announced the first coaches top 10 poll of the season and ranked the Buffs in the receiving votes category.

This marks the second time in Milligan swim history the Buffs ranked as high as the receiving votes category. They are only four voting points off No. 10.

"We've had a tough couple of weeks of training," Head Coach Spencer Scarth says, "but the kids have really stepped up and done sets we couldn't have even thought of doing last year."

Freshman Stephen Gilbert stood out in Milligan's season opener, breaking two school records and swimming to three national qualifying times. Gilbert's efforts helped the Buffs win the King Invitational over NCAA Division II members King and Lees-McRae, and he went on to win Appalachian Athletic Conference swimmer of the week honors along with freshman Gabby MacPherson on the women's side.

Milligan next will compete at Carson Newman on Saturday, Nov. 7, then Union on Saturday, Nov. 14, to wrap up the fall leg of its 2020-21 campaign. The Buffs also have four meets during the spring semester prior to the AAC Championships and NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships.

 "We are very much looking forward to racing an extremely talented Carson Newman team next weekend," Scarth adds. "They would have been top 15 in NCAA Division II last year so I know they will give us very good competition. The meet against Union is something we are also really looking forward to, especially on the guys' side as it was a very tight meet last year."