By Eric Spresser, Student Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- After an impressive start to the season in a pair of events, two Bearcat swimmers have set times to put them in the top 25 nationally.

Cassie Tallman (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) and Kiley Lin (Fr., Palo Alto, Calif./Henry M. Gunn HS) are ranked in the top 25 in the latest NCAA Division III national times list from USA Swimming. 

Tallman is 11th in the nation in the 100-yard individual medley after posting a time of 1:02.51 at the Northwest Conference Sprint Invitational in Walla Walla, Washington, on Oct. 30. Additionally, Tallman finished second in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:08.92 and the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:28.83 during the Northwest Invitational at Willamette on Nov. 20-21.

As a freshman last season, Tallman earned First Team All-NWC honors in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard breaststroke.

Lin is now 23rd on the national times list in the 200-yard backstroke after winning the event with a time of 2:09.02 this past Friday in the Northwest Invitational. She also set a school record of 59.92 seconds in the 100-yard backstroke while finishing in second place. She is the first Willamette women's swimmer to break the 1-minute mark in the 100 backstroke.

Both Tallman and Lin were also a part of women's 400-yard medley relay team that finished second at the Northwest Invitational with a time of 4:10.17.

The Bearcat swim teams will participate in Winter Training in San Diego, California, from Jan. 3 thorugh Jan. 9. Willamette will returning to action in Oregon with a meet against Oregon State University and Southwestern Oregon Community College on Saturday, Jan. 16th in Corvallis on the Oregon State campus.