Swimming opens NAIA National Championships with four All-American relays

COLUMBUS, Ga. (March 1, 2023) – The Milligan University swim teams opened the 2022-23 NAIA National Championships with four All-American relay efforts and three school records on the opening evening of the national championship meet.

Through the first four events of the championships, the Buffs sit tied for fourth in both the men's and women's team standings.

In the opening event of the championships, Milligan's women were seeded 14th in the 200-yard medley relay but posted the top time of the first heat to finish sixth overall to secure All-America status. Tyler Cates, Kaylee Williams, Gabby MacPherson and Samantha van Vuure turned in a school record time of 1:46.45.

Milligan's men also set a team record in the 200 medley relay. RJ Brumit, Caleb Fry, Andre Bazzana and Stephen Gilbert clocked in at 1:30.71 to finish fourth.

In the 800-yard freestyle relay, Riley Renaud, MacPherson, Mary Grace Bitting and van Vuure logged a third-place finish in a school record time of 7:36.75.

The Buffs took fourth in the men's 800 free relay as Bazzana, Jayden Bearden, Peter Gilbert and Stephen Gilbert finished in 6:45.20.

The Buffs compete in the first morning preliminary session tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. The Buffs will compete in the 500 free, 200-yard individual medley, 50 free and 200 free relay.