2025 NWC Swimming Championship Previews

2/12/2025 9:30:00 AM

Federal Way, Wash. - The Whitman Blues women and Whitworth Pirates men will each be looking to defend their NWC Swimming titles as the 2025 Northwest Conference Swimming Championship takes place February 13-16th at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.

Thursday, February 13th will consist of one evening session beginning at 5pm. Friday through Sunday will consist of a prelim session beginning at 9:30am followed by finals sessions at 5pm (Sunday finals will begin at 4pm).

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Women

Whitman

The 2024 NWC Co-Swimmer of the Year, Shaye Agnew, who is the defending champion in the 50 and 100 freestyles, enters the 2025 conference meet with the fastest 50 (24.42) and fourth-best time in the 100 free (53.74). Anneliese Hanson posts the top 200 freestyle time for the Blues (1:58.44), while Avery Riley leads the 500 freestyle (5:16.08), and Frances Lenz leads the 1650 (19:07.05).
Lenz and Agnew will also look to make a splash in the backstroke events as Lenz holds the fastest time for the Blues in the 100 (1:00.69) and 200 (2:12.11) followed closely by Agnew in the 100 (1:01.72), both sitting comfortably in the top 15 NWC times of the season in their respective events.
The 2024 NWC 200 Breaststroke champion, Josephine Piel, looks to repeat as champion, holding the top conference record of the season (2:24.81). Piel also holds the second-best 100 breaststroke time of the league this season (1:06.80) along with a top 10 NWC time in the 200 individual medley (2:14.28).
In the butterfly events, Avery Riley has Whitman’s best 200 time (2:11.99), which ranks second in the NWC, and Whitman’s second fastest 100 time (1:01.40), just behind Piel (1:01.04). Riley also holds the Blues’ top time in the 400 individual medley (4:45.73).
In the relays, the Whitman Blues enter the conference championship as the top seed in the 800 freestyle (8:01.40).

Linfield

In the freestyle events, Sarah Arpag leads the Wildcats in the 50 (24.78), Lauren Bobo-Shisler leads the 100 (55.15). The 2024 NWC Co-Swimmer of the Year Kirsti Keppo holds the top team time in the 200 (2:02.28), 500 (5:11.12), and 1650 (17:49.35) freestyles and the 400 individual medley (4:43.06). Keppo’s times earn the top seed in both the 500 and 1650.
Arpag holds the top NWC time in the 100 backstroke (58.75), 100 butterfly (57.86), 200 butterfly (2:07.93) and the second-fastest time in the 200 backstroke (2:09.09).
Freshman Alana Zumbrum leads the Wildcats in the breaststroke events, having recorded 1:11.43 in the 100 breast and 2:39.73 in the 200 breast.

Whitworth

Jillian Larrabee leads the Pirates in the sprint freestyle events, sitting third in the NWC in the 50 freestyle (24.66) and second in the 100 free (53.23). Makhaela Parrish leads the NWC in the 200 freestyle (1:57.01), sits second in the 500 freestyle (5:12.11) and 1650 freestyle (18:23.11).
In the backstroke events, Taylor Thorne has Whitworth’s top in the 100 (1:00.85) and 200 (2:12.80), sitting 4th in the NWC in both events.
Megan Bonikowsky has the top time for the Pirates in the 100 (1:07.37) and 200 (2:26.73) breaststrokes.
With top 5 times in the NWC in both the 100 (58.40) and 200 (2:15.18) butterfly events, first year Grace Esteban is expected to make an immediate impact for the Pirates.
Bella Hoopes leads Whitworth in the 200 (2:13.07) and 400 (4:41.61) individual medley, ranking third and first in the NWC, respectively.
In the relays, Whitworth enters the championship with top seeds in the 400 medley (4:00.88), 200 free (1:39.61), and 400 free (3:36.58).

Pacific Lutheran

Sophomore Riley Maher heads into the championship leading the Lutes in the 200 butterfly (2:16.06) and is anticipated to be a key contributer to freestyle relays with top PLU times in the 50 freestyle (25.67) and 100 freestyle (55.78).
Emma Gassman has posted the top times in the 200 freestyle for the Lutes (2:05.75), while Scout Hawkins holds control of the distance freestyle events with a top PLU time in the 1650 (18:41.12) freestyle. Hawkins is also expected to make an impact for the Lutes in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.65) and 400 individual medley (4:43.41).
Gassman holds the second best NWC time in the 100 backstroke (1:00.66) and the top time in the 200 backstroke (2:08.91).
With a top 20 NWC time, Lola Chargualaf is expected to make a splash in the 100 butterfly.

Puget Sound

Freshman Trinity Link enters the championship as the NWC top seed in several events– Link ranks first in the 100 free (52.84), the 100 breaststroke (1:06.53) and the 200 IM (2:06.97), as well as ranking third in the 100 butterfly (58.51).
Kaya Fronek is set to compete for the Loggers in the 50 free (25.70), Sara Guillen holds the fourth-best time in the 500 free (5:20.38) and the second-best time in the 200 free (1:57.52).
Freshman Camille McClafferty enters the championships set to make an impact– she holds the second-best time in 400 IM (4:42.14) and the fourth-best time in both the 1650 free (18:37.21) and the 200 breaststroke (2:26.89).
In the backstroke events, the Loggers are led by Kass McLennan in the 100 (1:04.50) and Harper McGuire in the 200 (2:16.04).
Lelia Ollenburg ranks sixth in the 200 fly with a time of (2:17.25).
In the relays, Puget Sound ranks first in the 200 medley (1:50.05), second in the 200 freestyle (1:40.42), and third in both the 400 free (3:40.81) and 800 free (8:06.26).

Willamette

With three top 10 times in the NWC, Alayna Kisiday is expected to make an impact for the Bearcats in the 50 free (25.07), 100 free (54.13), and 200 free (2:00.14). Freshman Jillian Price sits just ahead of Kisiday in the 200 free with a time of (2:00:08), while also leading the Bearcats with a top 10 time in the 200 backstroke (2:15.21).
Sarah Jenner holds the top times for the Bearcats in the mid-long distance events– swimming the 500 free (5:31.35) and the 1650 free (19:37.91).
In the butterfly events, the Bearcats are led by freshman Tessa Ciatti in the 100 (59.73) and 200 (2:16.07). Ciatti also holds the top time for Willamette in the 200 individual medley (2:18.12).
Kalima Glascott represents the Bearcats in the 400 individual medley with a time of (5:40.95).
Anna Hornbeck has posted top 10 times for the NWC in the breaststroke events– 100 (1:09.34) and 200 (2:27.76), respectively.
Leah Howell and Tatum Good both hold top 10 positions in the 100 backstroke– Howell with a time of (1:01.18) and Good following closely behind with a time of (1:01.32).
In the relay events, Willamette ranks third in the 200 free (1:40.66) and 400 medley (4:04.38), fourth in the 400 free (3:41.36) and 800 free (8:08.51), fifth in the 200 medley (1:51.43)

George Fox

Sophomore Jesse Urback heads in the championships leading the Bruins in the 200 free (2:00.26), 500 free (5:22.28), and 1650 free (18:39.67). Urback also looks to make an impact with a top 15 time in the 400 individual medley (5:00.08), close behind teammate Kaylee Dicey (4:50.61).
Sophomore Riley Parker leads the Bruins in the 200 individual medley (2:16.07), and in both of the breaststroke events– posting times in the 100 (1:10.61) and 200 (2:35.72).
In the butterfly events, Allison Rodgers represents the Bruins in the 100 fly (1:10.36), while Ellie Hoover holds a top 10 time in the 200 fly (2:25.43).
In the sprints, junior Mia Smith holds a top 20 NWC time in both the 50 free (25.88) and 100 free (56.56).
Zoey Stapelman and Claire Harmon represent George Fox as the top seeds in the backstroke events; Stapelman posts a time of (1:06.84) in the 100, while Harmon holds a time of (2:22.18) in the 200.
George Fox looks to make their mark in their fifth ranked position in the 800 freestyle relay (8:12.33), their most competitive rank of their relay events.

Lewis & Clark

Junior Elise Barton is looking to make an impact at the championships as the top seed the Pios in the 50, 100, and 200 freestyle races– she ranks fifth in the NWC for the 50 (24.87), eighth in the 100 (55.20) and holds a top 15 spot in the 200 (2:04.05).
Claire Hurty is the top seed for the mid-long distance events, owning a top 10 NWC rank in the 1650 free (19:25.73) and a top 20 NWC spot in the 500 free (5:38.20).
Sophomore Angie Cummings leads the Pios in the backstroke events, holding top 10 times in the conference for both the 100 (1:01.52) and 200 (2:17.31).
AJ Schroeder is expected to make an impact for the Pios in the breaststroke events, as well as the 400 individual medley. Schroeder holds top 20 rankings in the NWC in the 100 (1:13.61), 200 (2:42.22), and 400 IM (5:08.41).
Junior Aniqah Gaffoor leads the Pios in the 100 butterfly, ranking sixth in the NWC for the 100 fly (59.43).
Lewis & Clark looks to make their mark in their fourth ranked position in the 400 medley relay (4:05.38), their most competitive rank of their relay events.

Pacific

Junior Alex Moehnke and sophomore Serafina Ferruzzi lead the boxers in the 50 and 100 freestyles; Moehnke holds a NWC top 15 position in the 50 free (25.55), while Ferruzzi posts a time of (56.15) in the 100 free.
Rounding out the sprint events, Dahlia Leighton is the top seed for the Boxers in the 200 free (2:19.51). Leighton will also represent the Boxers in the 500 free (6:12.90) and the 1650 free (21:48.16).
In the backstroke events, both Ann Marie Grieder-Jacobs and Alex Moehnke hold a NWC top 10 position in their respective events– Grieder-Jacobs in the 100 (1:01.52) and Moehnke in the 200 (2:15.43).
Serafina Ferruzzi looks to make an impact in the 100 breaststroke with a top 10 NWC rank (1:10.15), while Rachel Kaufman is the top seed for the Boxers in the 200 breaststroke (3:13.34)
Junior Jaz Capron-Graves leads the Boxers in the 100 butterfly (1:04.85), with a top 15 NWC ranking.
Sophomore Nicole Louie represents the Boxers as their top seed in the 200 individual medley (3:04.45).
Pacific looks to make an impact in their seventh ranked position in the 200 freestyle relay (1:42.56), their most competitive rank of their relay events.

Men