Milligan Swimming Returns with Battle against Cumberlands in Steve Lacy Pool

MILLIGAN, Tenn. – Milligan University's men's and women's swim squads faced off with the University of the Cumberlands Patriots on Saturday in the Steve Lacy Fieldhouse Pool. No team scores were kept at the meet, but several Milligan swimmers came away with strong performances and provisional qualifying times. 

To begin the day, Milligan's women saw Riley Renaud post a personal-best mark in the 200 freestyle at 2:19.10 to finish third in the event. 

Following that, both Andre Bazzana (1:58.25) and Peter Gilbert (1:58.70) reached provisional marks for the NAIA National Championships in the 200 freestyle. 

Though she did not reach a provisional time, Teagan Jose notched a personal-best 2:35.84 in the 200 individual medley to finish in third place. 

Robert Adam came away with a provisional mark in the 200 individual medley on the men's side. Additionally, two Milligan men had personal best times, as Jack Allen (2:15.40, 3rd) and P. Gilbert (2:17.64, 5th) achieved those marks. 

The women's 400 freestyle saw Renaud come away with a season-best mark of 4:51.63 to finish third, overall. 

P. Gilbert's 4:13.32 clip in the 400 freestyle earned him a provisional qualifying mark for nationals, as he won the event, as well. 

In the 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke and 50 freestyle for both men and women, the events had three rounds each, with the bottom two swimmers being eliminated until only the top two remained in round three. 

The women's 50 butterfly saw Mary Grace Bitting reach the final round, but she fell with a 29.48 clip. On the men's side of the 50 butterfly, two Milligan swimmers reached the final round, with Joash Mckonie (24.83) beating Bazzana (25.14, PB) to win the event. 

Samantha van Vuure came away with the top mark in the 50 backstroke final round with a time of 31.97, while Paxton Smith earned second place in the men's 50 backstroke on a 26.58 time. 

Adam's 50 breaststroke effort of 28.85 for the MU men was a personal-best mark in the final round of the competition, and he was just five hundredths of a second off the victor's clip. 

Madison Akbari's 27.79 mark in the final round of the women's 50 freestyle earned her a provisional qualifying mark for nationals and won her the event. It was also a new personal-best time. Closing out the meet in the 50 freestyle final round, Gellert Szedlak nearly made a comeback to win, but ended up four hundredths of a second shy with a provisional mark of 23.65, which was also a personal best. 

The two squads' seasons will continue next weekend at the Colonel Classic, hosted by Centre College in Danville, Ky. on Jan. 10-11.