Feb. 5, 2008

Puget Sound Women, Whitworth Men Out to Defend NWC Swim Titles

The Puget Sound women and the Whitworth men have enjoyed a long stranglehold on their respective Northwest Conference swim championships. The question entering this year’s meet scheduled for Feb. 8-10 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way is whether or not those teams can again rise above the rest of the conference competition.

One thing that seems to be a given is that the times should be fast. That’s because, of the 26 individual events to be contested (there are also 10 relays), the conference champion returns in 25 of them. (Real-time results will be available by clicking here.)

Last year, Puget Sound used superior depth to win its 11th consecutive Northwest Conference women’s championship, scoring 703 points to beat Whitworth’s 654 points in what essentially was a two-team race. While Whitworth won eight individual events and four of the five relays, Puget Sound’s ability to put numerous swimmers in finals proved to be the difference. Last year, the Loggers had only three event wins – Amy Polansky’s victories in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, and the 200 medley relay.

Natalie Turner

David Dolphay

Polansky is back again this year and currently holds the NWC’s top times in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes and the 200 individual medley.

The only non-returning 2007 conference champion is Whitworth’s Katelyn Erickson (200 IM), but three other Pirates swimmers combined to win seven women's event titles last year. Natalie Turner, named the meet’s outstanding female swimmer, has this season’s top times in each of the three events she won last year, the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle and 1650 freestyle. Samantha Kephart also has the season’s best times in the events she won last season, the 100 and 200 butterfly. Brittany Gresset, the 2007 champion in the 50 and 100 freestyles, has this year’s fastest time in the 50 and is ranked third in the 100 freestyle behind teammates Turner and Kephart.

Other returning women’s event champions are Linfield’s Rose Hollingsworth in the 100 backstroke, Lewis & Clark’s Lindsay Nixon in the 400 individual medley, and Whitman’s Nancy Alexander in the 200 backstroke.

Top newcomers on the women’s side include Linfield’s Lauren Anderson in the 200 backstroke and Pacific Lutheran’s Jessie Klauder in the 200 breaststroke.

Whitworth had to stave off a strong Linfield challenge to win its fifth straight men’s title in 2007. The Pirates overcame a 17-point deficit on the final day to finish first with 627 points, followed by Linfield with 609 points. This year’s competition figures to be a duplicate. Three swimmers each won three men's events to share most outstanding swimmer honors last year, and all three return to defend those titles.

Linfield’s Kevin Caple took titles in the 200 and 400 individual medleys and the 200 backstroke last year, and this year he comes into the meet with the best time in the 100 backstroke and the third best marks in the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley. Dom Rieniets, also from Linfield, won the 50 and 100 freestyles and the 100 butterfly last year. This year, he is ranked second in four events.

Whitworth’s David Dolphay took victories in the 200, 500 and 1650 freestyles last year and has notched the NWC’s top marks in the two longer events. He is ranked second behind teammate Michael Woodward in the 200 freestyle.

Other returning men’s champions are Whitworth's Bryan Clarke in the 200 breaststroke, Puget Sound’s Paul Hughes in the 100 breaststroke, Jackson Kowalski in the 100 backstroke and Linfield’s Yusuke Kobayashi in the 200 butterfly.

Whitworth’s Woodward and Pacific Lutheran’s Jay Jones are two of the top newcomers who figure to make a splash at this year’s championship meet. Woodward has the NWC’s top marks in the 100 and 200 freestyles and the 200 individual medley while Jones is ranked first in both the 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley.

Tickets for the Northwest Conference Swimming Championships are available at the door for the following prices: $20 - adult weekend pass; $15 – youth weekend pass; $5 – adult single session; $3 – youth single session.

- PLU -