Swimming claims 12 AAC titles on day two of AAC Championships

KINGSPORT, Tenn. (February 10, 2023) – The Milligan University swim teams continued to dominate on day two of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Championships at the Kingsport Aquatic Center on Friday.

Milligan won 12 of 14 individual and relay titles contested on Friday evening. The Buffs won two women's relays, two men's relays, four individual titles on each side and set three meet records. After two days of competition, both teams sit in first place by over 100 points in the team standings.

The Buffs opened the evening session by sweeping the 200-yard freestyle relays. Liz Mahan, Gabby MacPherson, Tyler Cates and Mary Grace Bitting won the women's 200 free relay title in 1:39.73. Stephen Gilbert, Andre Bazzana, Zac Nelson and Caleb Fry matched the championship meet record of 1:24.94.

Peter Gilbert secured his second individual AAC title of the championships in the 400-yard individual medley. Gilbert won the event in 4:08.08. Jacob Miller finished second in 4:13.06.

Samantha van Vuure finished second in the women's 400 IM in 4:40.69. Apple Burton followed in third (4:40.76), Emma Rae Phillips was fourth (4:47.93) and Mackenzie LaFrance finished fifth (5:15.68).

The Buffs swept the first five finishers in the women's 100-yard butterfly. MacPherson took the title with an AAC Championship meet record of 57.68 and Rachel Connell finished second in 59.59. Alex Hayashi took third (59.88), Sammy MacPherson finished fourth (1:00.89) and Grace Feeney was fifth (1:02.04).

RJ Brumit claimed the AAC title in the men's 100 fly in 50.23. Cole Brusher touched second in 50.62 and Spencer Hall finished third in 52.48.

Riley Renaud earned her second conference crown with a first-place finish in the women's 200-yard freestyle (1:56.23). Bitting placed second in 1:57.20, Liz Mahan was third (1:58.06) and Kaelin Forscutt placed fourth in 2:04.91.

Bazzana took gold in the men's 200 free in 1:42.08. Jayden Bearden (1:42.16) and Nicholas Harviel (1:43.38) were the next two finishers.

Kaylee Williams (1:04.82), Mirella Rutigliano (1:09.96) and Virginia Rainer (1:10.95) finished first, second and third in the women's 100-yard breaststroke. Williams set the AAC meet record with her effort.

Fry was the runner-up in the men's 100 breast in 56.84. Ben Hawkins finished third in 56.90.

Cates claimed the AAC title in the women's 100-yard backstroke in 58.33 and Connell was second in 59.28

Brumit added his second title of the day in the men's 100 back in 52.23. Bearden finished second in 54.45 and Ben Tomberlin finished third in 54.78.

The Buffs set the AAC meet record in the women's 400-yard medley relay. Connell, Williams, Gabby MacPherson and van Vuure swam to a 3:57.64 time.

Brumit, Hawkins, Stephen Gilbert and Bazzana won the men's 400 medley relay in 3:25.70.

The Buffs look to claim both AAC titles tomorrow. Prelims are scheduled for 9:00 a.m. and finals begin at 4:00 p.m.