By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SWEET HOME, Ore. -- Natalie Moser (Fy., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) from Willamette University was the top NCAA women's finisher in the Sprint Triathlon at the Best in the West Triathlon Festival, held at Lewis Creek Park on Sunday, Sept. 11. Moser completed the 500-meter swim, 12.2-mile bike, and 3.1-mile run in 1:10:05. In the NCAA team competition, Humboldt State University defeated the Bearcats by two points.

Moser earned a time of 8:13 in the swim, completed the bike in 37:34, and was timed at 21:49 in the run.

The Sprint Triathlon included 84 participants in the overall women's competition. Moser was second in the overall women's results behind only Batya Beard from Portland, Oregon, who took first place at 1:06:16 (8:26 swim, 35:20 bike, 19:30 run).

Joining Moser for Willamette in the women's Sprint Triathlon were Aubrey Tuttle (Fy., Roseville, CA/Roseville HS) and Ella Isaacson (So., Saint Paul, MN/Central HS). Tuttle placed third in the NCAA women's standings with an overall time of 1:17:02, while Isaacson was fifth in 1:19:46. In the women's overall standings, Tuttle was sixth and Isaacson was 10th.

Three Bearcats competed in the youth women's division of the Super Sprint Triathlon, which featured a 250-meter swim, a 4.8-mile bike, and a 1.5 mile run.

Abbey Staniec (Fy., Stockton, CA/Lincoln HS) was second in the youth women's standings at 38:43 (5:17 swim, 17:45 bike, 13:14 run), while Molly Parsons (Fy., Dallas, OR/Dallas HS) was fourth in 44:46 (7:32 swim, 19:42 bike, 14:06 run). Alessandra Armenta-Lopez (Fy., Portland, OR/Gladstone HS) placed eight at 49:42 (7:48 swim, 21:29 bike, 17:05 run). There were a total of 14 participants in the youth women's division.

Willamette is slated to compete at the Nelson Park Aquathon in Decatur, Illinois, on Friday, Sept. 23 at 4:15 p.m. CDT./2:15 p.m. PDT. The Bearcats also will compete at the Millikin University D3 Invite in Decatur on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 8 a.m. CDT/6 a.m. PDT.