Swimming concludes High Performance Invite with 34 provisional swims

GAMBIER, Ohio (November 19, 2022) – The Milligan University swim teams concluded their midseason meet, the High Performance Invite, on Saturday at the Steen Aquatic Center at Kenyon College. The Buffs' day three exploits included seven top-10 individual finishes, three team records, 34 NAIA national provisional qualifying swims.

The meet featured stout competition in the form of several nationally-ranked NCAA Division II and Division III teams. Kenyon, the most successful DIII swimming program of all time, had both of its team ranked in the top five nationally. Hope had the no. 5 women's squad and No. 10 men's team in Division III. Carnegie Mellon had a pair of top-11 DIII programs and SUNY Geneseo boasted a pair of top-25 DIII programs. West Chester had the No. 11 women's team and No. 23 men's team in the latest Division II poll.

Milligan's men finished fifth with 761.5 points and the Buffs women were sixth with 490 points. Kenyon took the meet title in both the men's and women's team standings.

"We had a lot of outstanding and surprising swims across three days of competition, but more importantly, we learned a lot about racing in a fast and loud environment that will be just like nationals," said head coach Spencer Scarth. "We'll look forward to a good break from racing for a bit as we get back into a big training phase with our Florida training trip coming up soon!"

Peter Gilbert finished third overall in the men's 1650-yard freestyle and reset his own team record with a time of 15:51.60. Jacob Miller (16:24.34), Michael Cellucci (16:59.56) and Adam Bengtson (17:14.76) also logged provisional swims in the event.

Caleb Fry set his third program record in as many days as he swam 2:01.30 to finish third overall in the men's 200-yard breaststroke. Ben Hawkins (2:07.93) and Jack Allen (2:10.25) joined Fry with provisional times in the 200 breast.

Stephen Gilbert was fifth in the men's 200-yard backstroke with an NAIA provisional mark of 1:48.83. Jayden Bearden added a provisional time of his own in the event at 1:56.50.

Ethan McCosh and Andre Bazzana swam provisional times and recorded top-10 finishes in the men's 200-yard butterfly. Bazzana swam 1:51.20 in the prelims and McCosh swam 1:51.43 in the finals. Peter Gilbert joined them with a provisional swim of 1:57.04.

Kaylee Williams reset her own 200-yard breaststroke record, hit a provisional mark and finished ninth in 2:24.19.

Four Buffs posted provisional marks in the women's 200-yard backstroke. Tyler Cates led the way with a 10th-place finish in 2:06.58, Samantha van Vuure swam 2:07.76 and Sammy MacPherson (2:12.76) and Apple Burton (2:13.97) secured provisional times in the morning prelims.

In the women's 1650 free, Riley Renaud led four Buffs with NAIA provisional times. Renaud approached Milligan's team record and an NAIA "A" cut with a 17:42.09. Gabby MacPherson swam 18:21.41, Apple Burton touched the wall in 18:52.49 and Emma Rae Phillips finished in 18:56.73.

Liz Mahan (53.93), Mary Garce Bitting (54.76) and Sammy MacPhersno (55.74) swam provisional times in the women's 100 free. Stephen Gilbert (46.60), Cole Brusher (47.35), Bearden (47.79), Zac Nelson (48.23), Nicholas Harviel (48.30), and Spencer Hall (48.52) made it six Buffs with provisional times in the men's 100 free.

Bitting led four Buffs with provisional marks in the women's 200-yard butterfly. Bitting swam 2:08.41 to finish 12th at the meet. Gabby MacPherson (2:10.61), Alex Hayashi (2:13.59) and Phillips (2:18.47) each recorded provisional times in the event.

The Buffs capped the meet with the 400-yard freestyle relays. Gabby MacPherson, Mahan, van Vuure and Bitting combined to swim 3:37.13. Fry, Brusher, Bazzana and Stephen Gilbert posted a time of 3:04.87 to close out the meet.

Milligan returns to action on Dec. 14 when the Buffs match up with St. Thomas for a dual meet during the Buffs' training trip in Florida.