Swimming notches seven All-America honors on day three of NAIA National Championships

COLUMBUS, Ga. (March 3, 2023) – The Milligan University swimming team set six school records and collected seven All-America honors with five individuals and two relays posting top-eight national finishes on the third day of the NAIA National Championships.

Stephen Gilbert swam to a national runner-up finish in the 400-yard individual medley. After trailing Keiser's Fynn Kunze by 1.60 seconds going into the final 50 yards, Gilbert finished second by 0.09 seconds with a time of 3:56.24.

Peter Gilbert also collected All-America honors in the 400 IM with a eighth-place showing in 4:04.72.

Caleb Fry earned his second individual All-American award in as many days with a fourth-place finish and school record time of 54.69 in the 100-yard breaststroke. Ben Hawkins placed 13th in the 100 breast in 57.30.

Kaylee Williams earned All-American status in the women's 100 breast with a seventh-place finish in championship finals. She swam to a program record time of 1:04.13.

Tyler Cates swam to All-American honors in the 100-yard backstroke for the second-straight year. She placed fourth overall in 57.53.

Cates, Williams, Gabby MacPherson and Samantha van Vuure swam to All-America status in the women's 400-yard medley relay. The Buffs clocked in with a school record time of 3:52.17 to finish fifth.

RJ Brumit, Fry, Ethan McCosh and Stephen Gilbert swam to a school record of 3:21.44 in the men's 400 medley relay and All-America honors with a fifth-place finish.

MacPherson finished 10th in the women's 100-yard butterfly with a school record time of 57.58. Mary Grace Bitting was 15th in 58.20.

McCosh took 10th with a school record mark of 49.54 in the men's 100 fly. RJ Brumit joined McCosh in the 100 fly consolation final and finished 16th in 50.39.

Andre Bazzana finished 11th in the men's 200-yard freestyle in 1:41.10. Brumit placed 12th in the 100 back in 51.52.

Emma Rae Phillips, van Vuure and Apple Burton each made an appearance in the consolation final of the 400 IM. Phillips finished 12th (4:40.47), van Vuure placed 13th (4:40.86) and Burton was 16th (4:51.85).

Heading into the final day of the NAIA National Championships, the Buffs sit in fifth place in the men's and women's team standings.