By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Six athletes on the Willamette University swimming teams have been named All-Northwest Conference for their efforts during the 2015 NWC Swimming Championships on Feb. 13-15 at the Corvallis Aquatic Center in Corvallis, Ore.

Swimmers earned First Team All-NWC recognition by placing in the top three of an individual event or by participating on a winning relay team. Second Team All-NWC honors went to swimmers placing fourth through eighth in an individual event or by competing on a relay team that finished second or third.

The Bearcats achieved 13 total awards. Cassie Tallman (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) received First Team All-NWC recognition in the women's 200-yard individual medley and the women's 200-yard breaststroke. He was named Second Team All-NWC with a fourth place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Five other Bearcats were honored as Second Team All-NWC selections (see complete list below).

Willamette set school records in six events during the NWC Championships. Tallman established new marks in the women's 200-yard individual medley at 2:10.32 and in the women's 200-yard breaststroke at 2:27.83. The Bearcat women's team set records in the 200-yard medley relay at 1:51.28 and in the 400-yard medley relay at 4:02.39.

Swimming on both record-setting relays were Michaela Zuber (Jr., Sacramento, CA/Sheldon HS), Ashlyn Witherwax (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), Malia Santos (Jr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS) and Tallman.

Santos broke the school record in the women's 100-yard butterfly with a time of 59.03 seconds. For the Bearcat men's team, Mark Yuvienco (Fr., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) set a record in the men's 200-yard butterfly in 1:53.86.

Willamette Women's Swimming
First Team All-NWC Honors:

Cassie Tallman (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS)
200-yard individual medley, 2nd place
200-yard breaststroke, 3rd place

Willamette Women's Swimming
Second Team All-NWC Honors:

Cassie Tallman (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS)
100-yard breaststroke, 4th place

Ashlyn Witherwax (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School)
100-yard breaststroke, 6th place
200-yard breaststroke, 8th place

Malia Santos (Jr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS)
100-yard butterfly, 7th place
200-yard butterfly, 7th place

Willamette Men's Swimming
Second Team All-NWC Honors:

Mark Yuvienco (Fr., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep)
500-yard freestyle, 4th place
200-yard butterfly, 5th place
100-yard butterfly, 6th place

Alika Masei (So., Salem, OR/West Salem HS)
200-yard backstroke, 6th place
100-yard backstroke, 8th place

Reuben White (Fr., Portland, OR/Westview HS)
200 yard freestyle, 8th place