Smith, Renaud and Scarth win AAC awards; Swimming earns 47 all-conference honors

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 12, 2024) – The Milligan University swimming teams swept the men's and women's Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) championships, won five major conference awards and had 47 all-conference performances at the conference championship meet over the weekend.

Milligan won 32 of 36 AAC individual and relay championships at the AAC Championships. Milligan's men set a meet record with 16 men's titles (11 individual, five relay). The Buffs' women matched their own record with 16 women's championships (11 individual, five relay). Milligan set 13 AAC championship meet records and four program records at the conference championships.

The Buffs swept the AAC titles for the third-straight year. Milligan's men captured their fourth-straight green banner to become the conference's all-time leader in men's titles. The Milligan women were the first team to win three-straight AAC women's conference crowns.

Sophomore Riley Renaud repeated as the AAC Women's Swimmer of the Year. She won AAC titles in the 200-, 400- and 1650-yard freestyles and set the meet record in the women's mile. Freshman Paxton Smith was tabbed as the AAC Men's Swimmer of the Year and the AAC Men's Freshman of the Year. Smtih took home conference titles in the 50 free, 100 free and 100-yard backstroke. He also swam on four of Milligan's conference championship relays.

Head coach Spencer Scarth repeated as the AAC Coach of the Year for men's and women's swimming. He is a six-time conference coach of the year.

The NAIA announces its national qualifiers on Feb. 23. The NIAA National Championships are scheduled for March 6-9 at the Columbus Aquatics Center in Georgia.

Milligan's All-AAC Swimmers

All-AAC First Team (First-place finishes)

Mary Grace Bitting – 200 Fly – 2:07.67
Tyler Cates – 100 Back – 58.86
Tyler Cates – 200 Back – 2:05.98
Gabby MacPherson – 100 Fly – 57.62*
Riley Renaud – 200 Free – 1:54.64
Riley Renaud – 500 Free – 5:04.55
Riley Renaud – 1650 Free – 17:25.09*
Hanne te Velthuis – 50 Free – 23.74*#
Hanne te Velthuis – 100 Free – 51.76*#
Kaylee Williams – 100 Breast – 1:05.26
Kaylee Williams – 200 Breast – 2:23.83

Tyler Cates, Kaylee Williams, Gabby MacPherson, Hanne te Velthuis – 200 Medley Relay – 1:47.16*
Tyler Cates, Kaylee Williams, Gabby MacPherson, Hanne te Velthuis – 400 Medley Relay – 3:54.24*
Liz Mahan, Mary Grace Bitting, Gabby MacPherson, Hanne te Velthuis – 200 Free Relay – 1:37.06*
Liz Mahan, Gabby MacPherson, Samantha van Vuure, Hanne te Velthuis – 400 Free Relay – 3:33.85*
Liz Mahan, Mary Grace Bitting, Gabby MacPherson, Hanne te Velthuis – 800 Free Relay – 7:46.68

Caleb Fry – 100 Breast – 55.88
Peter Gilbert – 400 IM – 4:08.69
Peter Gilbert – 1650 Free – 16:11.12
Stephen Gilbert – 200 Fly – 1:51.96
Stephen Gilbert – 200 IM – 1:05.64
Ben Hawkins – 200 Free – 2:04.86
Jacob Miller – 500 Free – 4:38.92
Hudson Trammell – 100 Fly – 48.66*#
Paxton Smith – 50 Free – 20.92
Paxton Smith – 100 Free – 46.20
Paxton Smith – 100 Back – 51.11

Paxton Smith, Caleb Fry, Sergio Tudor, Stephen Gilbert – 200 Medley Relay – 1:31.30*
Paxton Smith, Caleb Fry, Hudson Trammell, Stephen Gilbert – 400 Medley Relay – 3:24.29*
Paxton Smith, Andre Bazzana, Caleb Fry, Stephen Gilbert – 200 Free Relay – 1:22.71*#
Paxton Smith, Cole Brusher, Andre Bazzana, Stephen Gilbert – 400 Free Relay – 3:05.63
Jayden Bearden, Jacob Miller, Andre Bazzana, Stephen Gilbert – 800 Free Relay – 6:52.49*

All-AAC Second Team (Second-place finishes)

Gabby MacPherson – 50 Free – 24.52
Gabby MacPherson – 200 Fly – 2:09.88
Hanne te Velthuis – 200 Free – 1:55.21
Samantha van Vuure – 100 Back – 59.51
Samantha van Vuure – 200 Back – 2:07.99

Andre Bazzana – 200 Fly – 1:52.89
Andre Bazzana – 200 Free – 1:42.93
Andre Bazzana – 200 IM – 1:54.07
Jayden Bearden – 200 Back – 1:54.70
Caleb Fry – 50 Free – 20.96
Peter Gilbert – 500 Free – 4:39.06
Stephen Gilbert – 100 Fly – 49.37
Nate Halloran – 400 IM – 4:10.57
Ben Hawkins – 100 Breast – 56.55
Jacob Miller – 1650 Free – 16:31.41

* - AAC Record
# - Milligan Record