Julius Wilhelmi (Sr., Roseville, Calif./Woodcreek High School)
Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director of Communications
SALEM, Ore. — The Willamette University men’s swimming team won five individual events against Whitman College on Friday, Nov. 17 at the WU Natatorium. Whitman won the team match 127-76. The Blues improved to 3-0 overall and 3-0 in the NWC. Willamette was 0-2 on the season and 0-2 in the NWC.
Winners of the Bearcats’ events were Julius Wilhelmi (Sr., Roseville, Calif./Wood Creek HS) in the 50-yard freestyle and Nicholas Moore (Sr., Moses Lake, Wash./Moses Lake HS) in the 100-yard freestyle. )was. Cole Lindberg (junior, Moses Lake, Wash./Moses Lake Christian Academy) competed in the 1,650-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, and 100-yard butterfly.
“Tonight was a good test of how our men’s team will fare against one of the top teams in the conference,” Willamette Swimming Director Brent Summers said. “The boys team showed a lot of energy and fight and I’m very proud of them. The competition will decide whether Nicholas Moore wins the mile or not. “Tomorrow (against Whitworth) we I’m looking forward to watching them swim.” ”
Wilhelmi beat the field in the 50-yard freestyle in 21.85 seconds. Whitman’s Keenan Tiddle was second in 22.89 seconds, and Willamette’s Lindberg was third in 22.99 seconds. In the 100-yard freestyle, Wilhelmi won by 1.25 seconds with a winning time of 49.17. Blues swimmer John Lees was second in 50.42 seconds.
Moir won the 1,650-yard freestyle in 17:50.36, narrowly beating second-place Bei Boivin by 0.17 with a time of 17:50.53. Moore added a win in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:10.04. He won in 5:14.55, beating Blues’ second-place finisher Boivin by 4.51 seconds.
Lindberg took first place in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing the race in 52.49 seconds. Ian McClelland of Whitman took second in 54.33 seconds.
Logan Copeland (WU) took second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:01.65. Whitman’s Collen Lorcan won the 100 back in 59.99 seconds. Copeland also took second place in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:07.72, ahead of third place Gage Hembree. Andrew Hanson won the Blues’ 100m breaststroke in 1:04.05.
In the 200-yard medley relay, the Willamette team of William Laduca (Ore. South, Salem/South Salem HS), Copeland, Lindbergh and Wilhelmi took second place with a time of 1:42.73. Brody Salzbrenner, Hanson, McClelland and Tiddle swam for the Blues, with Whitman winning in 1:40.34.