Northwest Conference: Whitworth Men, Whitman Women Defend Titles

2019 Northwest Conference Championships

• February 7th-10th, 2019
• Federal Way, WA
• Championship Central
• Full Meet Results

The 2019 Northwest Conference Championships finished with the Whitworth men and Whitman women defending their 2018 titles. The meet took place at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, WA, hosted by the University of Puget Sound.

Men’s Meet

The Whitworth men held a sizable lead throughout the meet, accumulating multiple first-place finishes, including a sweep of all 5 relays.

Among the Whitworth winners was Byron Rossmiller, who had a 3-event sweep in the 400 IM (4:11.04), 100 back (50.55), and 200 back (1:50.44). In the same manner, teammate Ryan Grady won the 500 free (4:36.06) and 100 breast (55.95). Grady also became a triple winner on Sunday with his meet record of 2:00.57 in the 200 breast.

Owen Lempert, also from Whitworth, set a new conference record in the 50 free with a 20.49. Linfield’s Noah Cutting was the meet’s third triple winner with his wins in the 200 IM (1:52.42), 100 fly (48.67), and 200 fly (1:48.51).

Women’s Meet

The Whitman women had a closer battle throughout the 4-day meet with Linfield and Whitworth.

The three teams all held the first place spot at least once before the final day of competition. On the end of day 3, the Linfield women had scored a 400 medley relay win that set a new conference record of 3:51.71. That put Linfield only 6 points ahead of the Whitman women.

On the final day, however, the meet turned into a timed finals session because of the inclement weather. The Whitman women’s last-day surge in points was propelled by Miranda Williams’ 200 breast win and their 400 free relay win (3:32.43).

Along with the women’s 400 medley conference record, 3 other meet records were broken. Kelli Callahan of Puget Sound, after winning the 200 IM (2:05.25) the day before, broke the 400 IM meet record with a 4:26.70. Callahan also won the 200 free (1:52.33) shortly after the 400 IM.

Pacific Luthteran’s Kaycee Simpson and Linfield’s Vianka Hoyer had a thrilling race in the 100 fly. With Simpson’s comeback in the final few yards, she was able to out-touch Hoyer by 0.03. Both Simpson and Hoyer’s swims were under the meet record, but Simpson will walk away with her name on the record (56.05). Simpson kept the momentum moving on Sunday with her 200 fly win (2:04.31).

Whitworth’s Jamie Siegler was also a record-breaker in the 100 breast with her winning time of 1:03.62.

Final Scores

Women

1. Whitman- 559  
2. Linfield- 521
3. Whitworth- 494   
4. Pacific Lutheran- 444
5. Puget Sound- 371   
6. Lewis & Clark- 344
7. Willamette- 239   
8. George Fox- 208
9. Pacific University- 105

Men

1. Whitworth- 665.5  
2. Linfield- 481
3. Puget Sound- 405   
4. Whitman- 385
5. Lewis & Clark- 338   
6. Pacific Lutheran- 323
7. Willamette- 260   
8. George Fox- 241.5
9. Pacific University- 132