Milligan Swimming geared up for NAIA National Championships

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 28, 2022) – The Milligan University's nationally-ranked swim teams are primed for the NAIA Swimming & Diving National Championships in Columbus, Georgia this week.

February 28, 2022

MILLIGAN, Tenn. (February 28, 2022) – The Milligan University's nationally-ranked swim teams are primed for the NAIA Swimming & Diving National Championships in Columbus, Georgia this week.

The Buffs are bringing seven men and seven women to the NAIA National Championships that will run from Wednesday, March 2 through Saturday, March 5. Entering nationals, Milligan's men were ranked No. 5 and the women were No. 6 in the final regular season national rankings.

Milligan will compete in all 10 relays at the national championship meet with nine relays seeded in the top eight. All relays at the 2021-22 NAIA National Championships will be timed finals.

The Buffs are scheduled to compete in 25 individual events over the final three days of the NAIA National Championships. Milligan has 11 swimmers seeded in the top eight in the respective individual events.

Sophomore Stephen Gilbert owns the No. 1 seed in the men's 400 IM and 200 backstroke and is the fourth seed in the 200 IM. Gabby MacPherson owns the third seed in the 500 free and 200 fly and the eight seed in the 1650 free. Andre Bazzana enters the national championship meet with top-five times in the 200 free, 200 fly and the No. 10 mark in the 500 free.

Tyler Cates has top-five seeds both backstroke events and Wiktor Perkowski owns top-10 seeds in the 100 fly and 100 back. Maggie Blazo enters the meet ranked 10th in the 100 back, 12th in the 200 free and 13th in the 50 free. Kaylee Williams has top-13 seeds in both breaststroke events.

The national championships will begin with the 800-yard freestyle relays on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. The rest of the events will take place Thursday through Saturday with prelims at 9:00 a.m. and finals at 5:00 p.m.

Last year's NAIA National Championship was cancelled due to Covid-19. Milligan earned 12 (eight individual, four relay) women's All-America awards from the CSCAA and the men took nine (four individual, five relay) CSCAA All-America honors.

Wednesday, March 2

Women's 800 Free Relay

Men's 800 Free Relay

Thursday, March 3

Women's 200 Free Relay

Men's 200 Free Relay

Women's 500 Free – Gabby MacPherson, Emma Rae Phillips, Tyler Cates

Men's 500 Free – Andre Bazzana, Ben Hawkins, Ethan McCosh

Women's 200 IM – Bre Coley

Men's 200 IM – Stephen Gilbert, Aubin Dulin

Women's 50 Free – Maggie Blazo, Liz Mahan

Men's 50 Free – Wiktor Perkowski, Cole Brusher