Milligan Swimming signs 16 for 2021-22

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (DATE) - Third-year head coach Spencer Scarth welcomes 16 newcomers to Milligan University's nationally ranked men's and women's swim teams for the 2021-22 academic and athletic year.

In 2020-21, Milligan captured its first-ever Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) men's swimming championship and finished as team runners-up by a mere 12 points on the women's side. Despite the cancellation of the 2020-21 NAIA Championships, Milligan swimmers reeled in 21 All-American awards from the College Swimming and Diving Coaches of America (CSCAA) and finished 5th on the women's side and 6th on the men's side in the Collegeswimming.com Championship Rankings.

The incoming batch of swimmers features 10 men and six women, hailing from 10 different states and two foreign countries.

"We are blessed to have such an incredibly diverse, intelligent and highly motivated group of student athletes joining our team this year, and boy are they fast!" said Scarth. "Both teams have continued to attract high quality individuals that will build upon last season's successes, and this incoming group is the epitome of what our team is about: a family, hungry for success. We are looking forward to a "normal" season filled with plenty of challenging meets, and we cannot wait to explore the uncharted waters ahead of us."

The incoming group includes Brazilian Andre Semensato, who will make his long-awaited debut with the Buffs with Covid travel restrictions preventing his enrollment in 2020-21. Semensato brings times in 4 different events that would have placed inside the top-8 on the national level, with each of those times surpassing current Milligan team records.

Poland native Wiktor Perkowski is a graduate transfer from fellow AAC member Union College. While with the Bulldogs, Perkowski earned NAIA All-American status in the 100 fly, 200 IM and multiple relays. Perkowski boasted the third-fastest 100 fly and ranked No. 5 in the 200 IM on the NAIA leaderboards last season.

Ethan McCosh (Hickory, N.C., Hickory Foundation/Catawaba Valley YMCA) comes to campus as an accomplished butterfly and freestyle swimmer. A USA Swimming Junior Nationals qualifier, McCosh's top butterfly times in the 100 and 200 fly are faster than Milligan's current program records.

Cole Brusher (Panama City, Fla., Panama City Swim Team) was a Florida state swimming finalist in the 100 free, 200 free and 100 fly.

Nicholas Harviel (Germantown, Tenn., Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club) immediately adds depth in the 200 free  and 500 free where both of his season-best times last year would rank second on Milligan's roster.

Breaststroker Adam Karakurt (Collierville, Tenn., Memphis Tiger Swim Club) would have ranked third on Milligan's roster in the 100 breast and 200 breast last season.

AJ Stralow (Rock Hill, S.C., Mecklenberg Swim Association) would also rank top-three on Milligan's roster last season with his personal best marks in the 100 and 200 breast, as well as the 200 IM.

Backstroker Isaiah Silveira becomes the second swimmer from Alaska on the Buffs roster, joining rising sophomore Riley Gregor.

On the women's side, Texan Liz Mahan's (Katy, TX, Katy Aquatics) time in the 200 IM is faster than Milligan's school record and her 100 free is just 0.3 seconds off the program record.

Mackenzie LaFrance (Phoenix, Ariz., Rio Salado Swim Club) owns a 200 back time  that would have ranked third among Buffs last season.

Suzi Aguirre's (Brandenton, Fla., Sarasota Tsunami Swim Club) top times in the 100 fly  and 200 fly would ranked No. 2 on the Buffs' roster last season.

Emma Rae Phillips (Russell Springs, Ky., Central Kentucky Aquatics) owns a career best time in the 200 IM that's faster than Milligan's current program record.

The full listing of the incoming Buffs, along with their hometowns and club teams, is below.

Women 

Suzi Aguirre (Brandenton, FL, Sarasota Tsunami Swim Club)
Grace Feeney (Morris Plains, NJ, Greater Morristown YMCA)
Mackenzie LaFrance (Phoenix, AZ, Rio Salado Swim Club)
Liz Mahan (Katy, TX, Katy Aquatics)
Emma Rae Phillips (Russell Springs, KY, Central Kentucky Aquatics)
Mirella Rutigliano (Portland, OR, Dolphins Portland Swimming)

Men 

Cole Brusher (Panama City, FL, Panama City Swim Team)
Nicholas Harviel (Germantown, TN, Memphis Thunder Aquatic Club)
Adam Karakurt (Collierville, TN, Memphis Tiger Swim Club)
Ethan McCosh (Hickory, NC, Hickory Foundation/Catawaba Valley YMCA)
Antonio Medina (Estero, FL, Gulf Coast Swim Team)
Wiktor Perkowski (Warsaw, Poland, Union College)
Dalton Roszel (Hampton, TN, Lakewood Ranch Swim Association)
Andre Semensato (Guarulhos, Brazil, Corinthians)
Isaiah Silveira (Valdez, AK, Valdez Torpedoes Swim Team)
AJ Stralow (Rock Hill, SC, Mecklenberg Swim Association)