Swimming takes care of business at Union and Asbury tri-meet

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. (October 28, 2022) – The No. 3 Milligan men's swim team and No. 5 Milligan women's swim team stacked up two dozen NAIA national provisional swims and collected three wins against Union and Asbury on Friday evening.

The Buffs dispatched Asbury's men 167-41 and Union's men 167-14. Milligan's women knocked off Asbury 172-53 in the Buffs' first head-to-head triumph over Asbury since the 2019 Appalachian Athletic Conference Championships.

"As with most teams this time of year, racing in October ("Rocktober") is TOUGH," said head coach Spencer Scarth. "We have had three weeks of challenging practices and lifts, we had a seemingly endless list of team members out with flu, strep etc. and many still recovering, and yet, our team still found a way to gut it out and race."

Milligan men and women both won 15 of 16 contested events on the evening.

"From the get go, our team was prepared to compete and engage themselves in the meet, and it paid off big time with many outstanding swims," said Scarth. "Highlight swims included Zoey Delaney's 1650, Grace Feeney's 400 IM, Jack Allen's 200 IM, our IMers stepping up in a 400 free relay right after a 400 IM, Stephen Gilbert's 100 fly split on his IM, and all of our relays. Really proud of their efforts tonight and looking forward to some fun race tomorrow at our Orange and Black meet!"

Mary Grace Bitting improved on her own 200-yard individual medely record as she won with a NAIA provisional time of 2:11.65. She had three individual provisional marks at the meet with first-place finishes in the 100 free (55.06) and 100 fly (1:00.05).

Tyler Cates won both backstroke events with provisional times. She swam 1:01.62 in the 100 back and 2:12.63 in the 200 back.

Gabby MacPherson recorded two wins and provisional marks in the 200 fly (2:13.32) and 500 free (5:20.19). Sammy MacPherson had a provisional time in the 200 back at 2:15.17.

Riley Renaud won the women's 1650 freestyle in 18:33.03 and was second in the 500 free in 5:20.34. Both of her swims met the NAIA provisional standard.

Samantha van Vuure was first in the 50 free (25.81) and 400 IM (4:48.20) and was the provisional finisher in the latter event. Apple Burton had two national provisional efforts in the 1650 free (18:54.69) and 400 IM (4:52.36).

Andre Bazzana picked up two wins and individual national provisional times on the day. He finished first in the 200-yard butterfly (1:54.78) and the 500 freestyle 4:50.00. Ethan McCosh also notched a provisional time in the 200 fly (1:58.62).

RJ Brumit took the win and snagged a national provisional mark in the 100 back (53.26) and won the 50 free in 22.20.

Caleb Fry swept the breaststroke events, winning the 100 with a provisional time of 59.84 and taking first in the 200 in 2:13.66.

Stephen Gilbert won 200-yard (1:56.51) 400-yard (4:13.06) individual medleys with provisional times. In the 400 IM, his 100 fly split of 51.96 was good enough for another provisional mark. He finished as the runner-up in the 100 back (53.76) with a provisional time.

Peter Gilbert was a national provisional qualifier in the 400 IM (4:20.01), won the 1650 free with a provisional mark (16:28.7) and added a victory in the 200 back (2:01.79). Jacob Miller joined Gilbert with a provisional time in the 1650 free (16:57.68).

The Buffs return to the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse tomorrow morning for the Orange & Black Intersquad.