The Northwest Conference women’s swimming season is shaping up to be highly competitive, with Whitworth entering as the team to beat. The Pirates, who captured last year’s championship, earned seven of the nine first-place votes and a total of 63 points in the coaches’ preseason poll.
Whitman, coming off a strong previous season, is picked second with 57 points and two first-place votes, indicating a potential battle at the top. Puget Sound, with 48 points, rounds out the top three, setting the stage for an exciting race among the conference’s leaders.
Linfield (43 points), Pacific Lutheran (35 points), Willamette (32 points), George Fox (23 points), Lewis & Clark (15 points), and Pacific (8 points) all received recognition in the poll, showcasing the talent and depth across the league.
The NWC regular season kicks off on Friday, October 31, as teams begin their journey toward the 2025-26 Northwest Conference Swimming Championships, scheduled for February 2026.
(Points awarded on an 8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. Coaches could not vote for their own teams; numbers in parentheses indicate first-place votes.)
2025-26 NWC Women’s Swimming Preseason Poll
| Team |
Pts. |
2024 NWC Finish |
| Whitworth (7) |
63 |
1st |
| Whitman (2) |
57 |
2nd |
| Puget Sound |
48 |
3rd |
| Linfield |
43 |
4th |
| Pacific Lutheran |
35 |
6th |
| Willamette |
32 |
5th |
| George Fox |
23 |
7th |
| Lewis & Clark |
15 |
8th |
| Pacific |
8 |
9th |