By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University has released the 2021-22 schedules for the winter sports of men's and women's swimming and men's and women's basketball. The basketball teams have separate schedules, while the swimming teams share one schedule. Willamette competes in NCAA Division III and the Northwest Conference.
All schedules are subject to change if COVID protocols are adjusted to limit competition. Details regarding gameday policies and fan attendance will be announced at a later date.
2021-22 Winter Schedules
Men's and Women's Swimming
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
The swimming teams will host two preseason events with the Alumni Meet on Oct. 9 and the Intrasquad Meet on Oct. 16. The Bearcats are set to begin the regular season action at the NWC Sprints on Oct. 29 and the NWC Relays on Oct. 30. Willamette will host home dual meets in NWC action against Pacific University on Nov. 6, the University of Puget Sound on Jan. 14, Pacific Lutheran University on Jan. 15. The Bearcats will face non-conference opponents from the College of Idaho and Southwestern Oregon Community College at the WU Natatorium on Jan. 29. Willamette will host the NWC Championships at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington, from Feb. 10-13.
Willamette's men's basketball team will play an exhibition game at crosstown rival Corban University on Nov. 4, before hosting Northwest Christian University in the regular season opener on Nov. 9. WU will take on the University of Portland in an exhibition game on Nov. 11. The Bearcats are scheduled to compete in the Midway Classic at the University of Chicago on Nov. 20 and Nov. 21, before returning to Cone Field House for six consecutive home game in December. The string of home contests will begin with NWC games against Whitman College on Dec. 3 and Whitworth University on Dec. 4.
The women's basketball team is set to play exhibition games at Corban on Oct. 29 and at the University of Portland on Nov 5. The Bearcats will begin their home schedule against Multnomah University on Nov. 10, followed by home games with Schreiner University (Texas) on Nov. 12 and Western Oregon University on Nov. 14. WU will play five games in California in late November, including two games at the Bulldog-Panther Classic in Redlands (Nov. 19-20), a game at California Lutheran University on Nov. 23, and two games at the Wells Fargo Classic in Claremont (Nov. 26-27). Willamette opens NWC action with home games against Whitman on Dec. 3 and Whitworth on Dec. 4.
Other home events in men's and women's basketball will include NWC games against George Fox University on Jan. 14, Linfield College on Jan. 21, Pacific Lutheran on Feb. 4, Puget Sound on Feb. 5, Lewis & Clark College on Feb. 11, and Pacific on Feb. 18.
