Swimming takes on Cumberlands in triple distance meet

WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (January 20, 2024) – The Milligan University swim teams squared off with the University of the Cumberlands in a triple distance meet in the Buffs' penultimate regular season meet of the 2023-24 season.

The Buffs and Patriots entered the meet with top-five national rankings for both programs' men's and women's teams.

"This was a fun way to break up the monotony of a traditional 13/16 event format that is run all the time," said head coach Spencer Scarth. "January is an especially difficult time of the year, mentally and physically, for swimmers to get up and race, so to put them in an unfamiliar situation helped to bring some energy up."

The meet format was a triple distance meet. Each entered swimmer was entered in three related events and were placed in standings based on their total times each event. Swimmers competed in 50-, 100- and 200-yard butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke or freestyle races, as well as 100-, 200- and 400-yard individual medleys or 200-, 500- and 1000-yard freestyles.

Stephen Gilbert topped the men's individual medley standings with a total time of 7:04.53. He won the 100 IM in 55.13, the 200 IM in 1:56.14 and the 400 IM in 4:13.26. His times in the 100 IM and 400 IM meet the national provisional standards.

Hanne te Velthuis topped the women's sprint freestyle standings by over 10 seconds with a total time of 3:16.47 against her former squad. Te Velthuis recorded provisional swims in all three events as she won the 50 free (24.32), 100 free (53.66) and 200 free (1:58.49).

Riley Renaud topped the distance freestyle triple with a total time of 18:52.64. Peter Gilbert (16:37.85) and Jacob Miller (17:03.89) finished first in second in the men's distance freestyle standings. Gilbert hit provisional standards in the 200 free (1:47.41) and 500 free (4:51.86)

Caleb Fry and Kaylee Williams both finished second in their respective breaststroke standings. Both swimmers hit the provisional standard in the 100 breast with Fry clocking in at 59.51 and Williams finishing in 1:09.64.

Mary Grace Bitting posted provisional times in the 200 IM (2:14.68) and 400 IM (4:53.25). Samantha van Vuure joined her with a provisional cut in the 40 IM in 4:55.53.

The Buffs had three provisional marks in the men's 100 fly with Sergio Tudor (51.23), RJ Brumit (51.79) and Andre Bazzana (52.96) making the cut. Bazzana won the 200 fly in 1:55.64 and was joined in recording a provisional time by Brumit (2:00.34).

Paxton Smith recorded a provisional swim in the 100 back (53.20).

Gabby MacPherson won the 200 fly with a provisional time of 2:13.88. MacPherson and Bazzana finished second in their respective butterfly standings.