By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications, (503) 370-6110
FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Julius Wilhelmi (So., Roseville, Ca/Woodcreek HS) from Willamette University took first place in the men's 50-yard freestyle and earned seventh place in the men's point standings at the Northwest Conference Sprint Pentathlon on Friday, Oct. 29 on the Pacific University campus. Min Wei (Sr., Fushun, China/Cascade HS) of Willamette was fourth in the women's 50-yard breaststroke and tied with two other swimmers for 17th place in the women's point standings.
Wilhemi's winning time in the men's 50-yard freestyle was 21.95 seconds, as he held off Zachary Washburn of Whitworth University, who took second in 21.97 seconds. During the Sprint Pentathlon, Wilhelmi scored a total of 48 points for seventh overall and just six points away from fifth place.
Sprinters were able to swim in five events on Friday. Athletes competed in a 100-yard individual medley plus 50-yard races in the freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. The winner in each race scored 20 points for their team. Both of Willamette's team placed fifth in their respective team standings.
"It was great to get back to swimming in a larger meet and seeing teams we haven't competed against in awhile," Willamette Head Swimming Coach Brent Summers said. "I'mv very excited about how we swam today."
In addition to winning the 50 free, Wilhelmi earned third place in the 50-yard butterfly, was seventh in the 100-yard individual medley, took 23rd in the 50-yard breaststroke, and placed 26th in the 50-yard backstroke. He completed the 50 butterfly in 24.36 seconds, as he finished 0.32 out of second place and 0.43 out of first place. His time in the 100-yard I.M. was 56.69 seconds. He added times of 31.12 in the 50 breaststroke and 28.49 in the 50 backstroke.
Wei scored 16 points for the WU women's team. She finished fourth in the 50-yard breaststroke, 18th in the 50-yard butterfly, tied for 21st in the 100-yard individual medley, 33rd in the 50-yard freestyle, and 43rd in the 50-yard backstroke. Wei registered times of 32.98 seconds in the 50 breaststroke, 29.19 in the 50 butterfly, 1:06.72 in the 100-yard I.M., 28.10 in the 50 freestyle, and 33.40 in the 50 backstroke.
The largest events were the women's 50-yard freestyle and the women's 50-yard backstroke, each with 87 entries. The largest men's event was the 50-yard backstroke with 68 competitors. There were 67 swimmers in the men's 50-yard butterfly and the men's 100-yard individual medley.
In addition to Wilhelmi, other swimmers for the Willamette men's team who placed among the top 25 point scorers were Ben Nickell (Jr., Boulder, CO/Fairview HS) in 23rd with eight points, Will Compton (Jr., Portage, MI/Portage Northern HS) in 24th with seven points, and Cole Lindberg (Fy., Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake Christian Academy) in 25th with five points. Members of the Bearcat women's team who joined Wei in the top 25 in individual scoring were Anna Hornbeck (Fy., Bend, OR/Bend HS) in 22nd place with 11.50 points, Sarah Jenner (Fy., Normandy Park, WA/Stanford Online HS) in 24th place with eight points, and Alayna Kisiday (Fy., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS) tied for 25th place within seven points.
Willamette's Top Times in each Women's Event
100-yard I.M. -- Wei and Tatum Good (Fy., Scottsdale, AZ/Scottsdale Prep Academy) tied for 21st in 1:06.72. Jenner placed 26th with a time of 1:07.25.
50-yard Butterfly -- Wei led the Bearcats in 18th place in 29.19 seconds, while Good finished in 19th in 29.25 seconds. Kisiday earned 25th place in 29.85.
50-yard Backstroke -- Kisiday topped WU with 13th place in 31.63 seconds. Good placed 17th in 31.85.
50-yard Breaststroke -- Fourth place went to Wei with a time of 32.98 seconds. Hornbeck tied for seventh place at 33.24 seconds. Jenner was 11th in 33.75, while Katherina Cory (So., Dublin, CA/Dublin HS) placed 22nd in 35.05.
50-yard Freestyle -- Good achieved 17th place by completing the race in 26.97 seconds. Kisiday grabbed 18th place just 0.04 later with a time of 27.01. Jenner touched out in 27.43 seconds to take 22nd.
Willamette's Top Times in each Men's Event
100-yard I.M. -- Wilhelmi's seventh-place finish led the way in 56.69 seconds. Compton took 24th place in 1:00.06.
50-yard Butterfly -- Three Bearcats placed in the top 18, as Wilhelmi claimed third place in 24.36 seconds, Compton was 12th in 25.32 seconds, and Lindberg earned 18th place in 25.53 seconds.
50-yard Backstroke -- Lindberg completed the race in 15th place with a time of 27.87 seconds. Compton placed 19th in 27.95, while Logan Copeland (So., Sparks, NV/Spanish Springs HS) was 22nd in 28.24, and Wilhelmi was 26th in 28.49.
50-yard Breaststroke -- Nickell topped the list of finishers for WU in 11th place at 29.76 seconds. He missed the top 10 by just 0.02. Copeland grabbed 22nd place in 31.11 and Wilhelmi took 23rd in 31.12.
50-yard Freestyle -- Wilhelmi won the event in 21.95 seconds. Copeland finished the race in 24.48 seconds to take 28th place.
Team Standings
Pacific Lutheran University took first place in the women's team standings with 315.50 points. Whitworth was second with 292 points, while Pacific placed third with 98 points. George Fox University placed fourth at 77.50, Willamette was fifth at 46.50, and Lewis & Clark College was sixth with 35.50 points.
Whitworth won the men's team title with 395.50 points, while Pacific Lutheran was second with 162.50 points. George Fox followed in third at 154.50, with Lewis & Clark in fourth at 82.50, Willamette in fifth at 68, and Pacific in sixth with 2 points.
Up Next for the Bearcats
Willamette will compete in the Northwest Conference Relays on Saturday, Oct. 30 in Newberg, Oregon. The first heat in the first event is set for 11 a.m. (PDT).
