By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Willamette University took first place in the women's 300-yard backstroke event at the Northwest Conference Relays in swimming on Saturday, Oct. 31. The Bearcats placed third in the overall women's team standings and placed fourth in the men's team standings. Willamette also finished fourth in the combined standings, which included men's, women's and coed relays.
Swimming for Willamette on the winning 300-yard backstroke relay team were Michaela Zuber (Sr., Sacramento, CA/Sheldon HS), Kiley Lin (Fr., Palo Alto, CA/Henry M. Gunn HS) and Cassie Tallman (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS). They recorded a time of 3:03.62 to win by 0.30 over the team from Whitworth University, which took second in 3:03.92.
Willamette placed second in the women's 300-yard breaststroke relay in 3:32.85. The WU relay included Ashlyn Witherwax (So., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), Anna Burdine (Fr., Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainer HS) and Tallman. They edged out Whitworth's relay team, which placed third in 3:33.24.
Pacific Lutheran University won the women's 300 breaststroke relay in 3:27.72 with swimmers Chloe Carr, Shanell Sullenberger and Kiana Sullenberger.
The Bearcat women's team earned third place in the 300-yard medley relay. Tallman, Witherwax and Burdine combined for a time of 3:16.43, just missing second place by 0.07. Whitworth was second in 3:16.36. Pacific Lutheran took first place in 3:08.37.
Willamette finished third in the coed 200-yard medley relay. Swimming for WU were Lin, Witherwax, Dan Aki (Jr., Union City, CA/James Logan HS) and Warren Armstrong (Fr., Fresno, CA/Bullard HS). The Bearcats registered a time of 1:48.34. PLU won the relay in 1:44.57 and Whitworth was second at 1:45.15.
The Bearcats were fourth in the coed 400-yard freestyle relay. Willamette's team included Armstrong, Zuber, Jamie Johnson (So., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS) and Andrew Lum (Sr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School). WU's time was 3:38.05.
In the women's team standings, Pacific Lutheran was first with 32 points. Whitworth took second with 22 points, barely edging out the Bearcats, who placed third with 21 points. Whitman College was fourth at 18 points and Pacific University was fifth with 12 points.
Whitworth topped the men's team standings with 33 points. Whitman followed in second at 25, while Pacific Lutheran was third at 18. Willamette took fourth with 15 points and Pacific was fifth with 12.
Pacific Lutheran and Whitworth tied for first place in the combined standings with 69 points. Whitman placed third with 54 points and Willamette was fourth with 46 ponits. Pacific finished fifth with 31 points.
The Bearcats will return to action on Friday, Nov. 6 with an NWC dual meet against Whitworth at the WU Natatorium. Action is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. (PST).
