By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University swimmer Alayna Kisiday (So., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS) won two events, and Cole Lindberg (So., Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake Christian Academy) and Julius Wilhelmi (Jr., Roseville, CA/Woodcreek HS) each took first place in one event, during an exhibition meet against Southwestern Oregon Community College on Saturday, Jan. 28 at the WU Natatorium.
It was Senior Day for the Bearcats, who honored Willamette's three senior swimmers -- Jordan Edner (Sr., Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty HS) and Gwyn Fritz (Jr., Los Gatos, CA/Leigh HS) from the women's team, and Ben Nickell (Sr., Boulder, CO/Fairview HS) from the men's team -- prior to the first event. "Congratulations to Jordan, Gwyn, and Ben on their final duel meet as Bearcats," Willamette Head Swimming Coach Brent Summers said.
In the exhibition scoring, Southwestern Oregon defeated the Willamette men's team, 200-58, and the Lakers downed the Bearcat women's team, 165-75. The team scores did not count on Willamette's dual meet records because the NCAA doesn't include results against two-year colleges. Individual and relay times did count toward season-bests and postseason qualify for the Bearcats and the Lakers. The meet against the talented SW Oregon swimmers was good preparation for the Bearcats as they get ready for the Northwest Conference Championships, set for Feb. 9-12 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.
"Today was a very strong way for us to end our dual meets for the season," Summers commented. "SWOCC is a very fast team, and it was a great opportunity for us to swim against swimmers who will be going to their nationals (NJCAA). Many of our swimmers competed in 'off' events today and my goal for them was simply to enjoy the racing. If they were swimming in an event they'll be doing at the NWC Championships, it was one last opportunity to really dial in some strategy and race details. I'm looking forward to having a couple of weeks to prepare for the NWC Championships and end this season with a fantastic conference meet."
Kisiday won the women's 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.68 seconds. She finished 0.83 in front of Claire Eilers of SWOCC, who took second place in 26.41 seconds. Kisiday also placed first in the women's 200-yard individual medley at 2:21.50. She won by just over five seconds, with Eilers in second place at 2:26.77.
Lindberg prevailed in the men's 50-yard butterfly. He registered a winning time of 23.60 seconds. Adam Geddis of SW Oregon was second in 24.23 seconds.
Wilhelmi was victorious in the men's 50-yard freestyle, as he completed the two lengths in 21.81 seconds. Second place was earned by Kaleo Theis of the Lakers with a time of 22.64 seconds.
Second place results were recorded by WU swimmers Kisiday, Anna Hornbeck (So., Bend, OR/Bend HS), Sarah Jenner (So., Normandy Park, WA/Stanford Online HS) and Emma Noffsinger (Fy., Arvada, CO/Northglenn HS) for the women's team, and Lindberg for the men's team.
In addition to winning the 50 free and the 200 I.M., Kisiday took second place in the women's 100-yard breaststroke. Her time in the 100 breaststroke was 1:13.94. Hornbeck placed second in the women's 50-yard backstroke with a time of 32.74 seconds. Danielle Meinema won the 50 backstroke in 32.04 seconds.
Jenner finished second in the women's 500-yard freestyle. She registered a time of 5:55.55. Noffsinger took second place in the women's 100-yard freestyle, as she completed the race in 59.77 seconds, narrowly in front of teammate Jacqueline Hall (So., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS), who placed third in 59.81 seconds.
Lindberg grabbed second place for WU in the men's 100-yard butterfly. Antoine Famechon of SW Oregon won the event in 52.75 seconds, and was followed by Lindberg in 54.27 seconds. Lindberg touched out just ahead of Mavrick Macalino of SWOCC, who placed third in 54.64 seconds.
Also for the Bearcats, Tatum Good (So., Scottsdale, AZ/Scottsdale Prep Academy) was third in the 50-yard backstroke in 30.72 seconds and also placed third in the 100-yard backstroke in 1:05:52. Kevin Olmedo (Fy., La Canada, CA/St. Francis HS) of Willamette was third in the men's 100-yard freestyle in 50.59 seconds.
