By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

DECATUR, Ill. -- Riga Grubis (Fy., Fairbanks, AK/West Valley HS) of Willamette University won the individual championship at the Millikin Splash and Dash as she led a 1-3-4 finish for the Bearcats on Friday, Sept. 22. Willamette won the team title with a score of 97 against three NCAA Division III opponents.

Grubis completed the swim and run with a total time of 16:45. Grace Huisman from Trine University (Ind.) placed second at 16:49, and Ella Isaacson (Jr., Saint Paul, MN/Central HS) followed for the Bearcats in third place at 17:05. Abbey Staniec of WU placed fourth at 17:09. Kathryn Ousdigian from Concordia University Wisconsin was fifth in 17:39.

Also competing for Willamette were Natalie Thomas (Fy., Jensen Beach, Florida/American Cooperative School of Tunis), Maya Ryley (Fy, Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS), and Alessandra Armenta-Lopez (So., Portland, OR/Gladstone HS). Thomas earned eighth place as she completed the swim and run in 18:04. Ryley completed the Splash and Dash in 20:25, while Armenta-Lopez registered an overall time of 21:38.

Willamette's team score of 97 allowed the Bearcats to claim the championship by an 11-point margin of victory. Trine was second in the team standings at 87, while Concordia University Wisconsin was third at 75, and Coe College (Iowa) was fourth at 35.

The Bearcats will remain in Decatur for the Millikin University College Cup on Saturday, Sept. 23. Action will get underway at 8 a.m. CDT/6 a.m. PDT.