Swimming to send 24 student-athletes to NAIA National Championships

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 17, 2023) – Milligan University’s nationally-ranked swim teams had 24 swimmers announced as national qualifiers for the 2022-23 NAIA National Championships at the Columbus Aquatic Center in Columbus, Ga. on March 1-4.

February 17, 2023

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 17, 2023) – Milligan University's nationally-ranked swim teams had 24 swimmers announced as national qualifiers for the 2022-23 NAIA National Championships at the Columbus Aquatic Center in Columbus, Ga. on March 1-4.

The Buffs are sending 13 men and 11 women, marking the group of men's, women's and combined qualifiers in school history. Milligan ranks No. 4 in the nation in the men's Swimcloud NAIA championships ranks and No. 6 on the women's side heading into the national championship meet.

Milligan will compete in all 10 relays at the national championship with nine units seeded in the top eight. All relays at the NAIA National Championships will be timed finals. The Buffs will have at least one student-athlete contesting all 26 individual national championship events. Milligan has a swimmer seeded in the top eight in 19 events.

Junior Stephen Gilbert is the defending NAIA national champion and all-time record holder in the 400-yard individual medley. He enters the national championships seeded No. 1 the 400 IM and the 200-yard butterfly. He also carries a No. 4 seed in the 200 IM.

Freshman Caleb Fry is seeded inside the top five in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard breaststroke and 200 breast. Freshman Peter Gilbert is seeded sixth in the 500 free and fourth in the 1650 free. Freshman Jacob Miller is seeded No. 7 in the 1650 free.

Sophomore Andre Bazzana collected All-America honors in the 200 free and 200 fly last winter. He enters the NAIA National Championships seeded eighth in the 200 free and sixth in the 200 fly. Ethan McCosh owns the No. 7 seed in the 200 fly.

Freshman Riley Renaud enters the national championships seeded in the 1650 free (No. 3) and the 500 free (No. 7). Junior Kaylee Williams owns top-eight seeds in both breaststroke events.

Junior Tyler Cates has a top-eight seed in the 100-yard backstroke. Gabby MacPherson is seeded fourth and Mary Grace Bitting is sixth in the 200 fly.

The NAIA National Champions begin at 5:00 p.m. on March 1 with the 200-yard medley relay and the 800-yard freestyle relay. The rest of the events will be contested Thursday through Saturday with prelims at 9:00 a.m. and finals at 5:00 p.m.

Last year, Milligan finished fifth in the men's and women's team standings at the NAIA National Championships, the top team finishes in school history. The Buffs combined to collect 22 NAIA All-America honors and set 14 program records at the NAIA National Championships last year.

Milligan Women's National Qualifiers (11)
Mary Grace Bitting – 200 IM, 100 fly, 200 fly
Apple Burton – 200 IM, 400 IM, 1650 free
Tyler Cates – 500 free, 100 back, 200 back
Rachel Connell – 100 fly, 100 back, 200 back
Alex Hayashi – 100 fly, 200 fly
Gabby MacPherson – 500 free, 100 fly, 200 fly
Liz Mahan – 50 free, 200 free, 100 free
Emma Rae Phillips – 200 IM, 400 IM, 1650 free
Riley Renaud – 500 free, 200 free, 1650 free
Samantha van Vuure – 500 free, 400 IM, 200 back
Kaylee Williams – 100 breast, 200 breast

Milligan Men's National Qualifiers (13)
Jack Allen – 200 IM, 100 breast, 200 breast
Andre Bazzana – 500 free, 200 free, 200 fly
Jayden Bearden – 200 free, 100 back, 200 back
RJ Brumit – 50 free, 100 fly, 100 back
Cole Brusher – 50 free, 100 fly, 100 back
Caleb Fry – 50 free, 100 breast, 200 breast
Peter Gilbert – 500 free, 400 IM, 1650 free
Stephen Gilbert – 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 fly
Nicholas Harviel – 500 free, 200 free, 100 free
Ben Hawkins – 500 free, 100 breast, 200 breast
Ethan McCosh – 100 fly, 100 back, 200 fly
Jacob Miller – 500 free, 400 IM, 1650 free
Zac Nelson – 200 free, 100 breast, 100 free