Northwest Conference Swimmers of the Week

Jan. 31

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Andrea Thomas (Linfield, So., Neskowin, Ore.) won the 1,000 Free in a school record 11:02.39 and added a victory in the 200 Fly (2:17.82) to lead the Wildcats past PLU. She was also on the winning 400 Free Relay (3:53.56).
Honorable Mention: Erin Pettersen (Whitman, Fr.); Marya Hall (Pacific, Sr.); Bridget Sutherland (Willamette, Fr.).

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Kevin Caple (Linfield, Fr., Littleton, Colo.) won the 200 Back (1:58.27) and 200 I.M. (1:59.02) in season best times to lead the Wildcats past PLU. He also led off the winning 400 Medley Relay (3:45.57).
Honorable Mention: David Lillard (Whitworth, Jr.); Nathan Smith (Pacific, Fr.); Keith Jarrett (Whitman, Sr.); Owen Williams (Willamette, Sr.).

Jan. 24

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Nathan Smith (Pacific, Fr., Phoenix, Ariz.) won five of his seven individual events last week and finished seventh in the other two. He set school records in the 50 Free (22.17), 200 Free (1:47.38), 500 Free (5:14.10), 100 Back (58.26) and 100 Fly (55.25).
Honorable Mention: Cory Bergman (Whitworth, Sr.); Kevin Caple (Linfield); David Pedack (PLU, So.); Geoff Kruse (Willamette, Sr.).

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Marya Hall (Pacific, Sr., Portland, Ore.) won seven of the nine individual events she swam in three dual meets last week. She set a school record in the 200 Free (2:02.91) against UPS and also set season bests in the 500 Free (5:34.28), 200 I.M. (2:24.49) and 100 Free (58.33) during the week.
Honorable Mention: Samantha Kephart (Whitworth, Fr.); Andrea Thomas (Linfield, So.); Kate Kuhn (PLU, Fr.); Bridget Sutherland (Willamette, Fr.)

Jan. 17

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Nancy Alexander (Whitman, Fr., Tigard, Ore.) led the Missionaries to dual meet victories at Caltech and Willamette. She won the 100 Back (1:06.97) and was part of the winning 200 Medley and 200 Freestyle relays at Caltech. She won the 200 I.M. (2:21.44) and 200 Back (2:17.26) and led off the second place 400 Medley relay at Willamette.
Honorable Mention: Theresa Likarish (L&C, So.); Becca Fischer (Willamette, So.).

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Avery Robinson (Willamette, Sr., Bend, Ore.) led the Bearcats to a win over Whitman by taking first place in the 200 I.M. (2:10.30) and 200 Fly (2:16.89). He was also part of the winning 400 Medley relay (3:56.82).
Honorable Mention: Owen Kenton (L&C, Fr.); Keith Jarrett (Whitman, Sr.).

Jan. 10

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Serena Fadel (Whitworth, Sr., Boise, Idaho) won the 400 I.M. (4:49.56) and the 200 Breaststroke (2:28.66) and swam the breaststroke leg on Whitworth’s winning 400 Medley Relay (4:12.82) in the Pirates’ dual meet win over PLU.
Honorable Mention: Nancy Alexander (Whitman, Fr.); Kate Kuhn (PLU, Fr.).

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Jacob Deberg (Whitworth, So., Kamiah, Idaho) won three individual events in Whitworth’s win over PLU. He won the 50 Free (22.39), the 100 Free (49.03) and the 200 Breaststroke (2:21.18).
Honorable Mention: No other nominees.

Dec. 6

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Samantha Kephart (Whitworth, Fr., Santa Maria, Calif.) was the highest individual NWC finisher at the Husky Invitational. She finished 4th in the 100 Butterfly (57.64) and seventh in the 200 Fly (2:04.57). She also finished 13th in the 200 Free (1:55.28 with an NWC-best 1:54.30 in prelims). Her prelim times of 25.21 in the 50 Free and 53.28 in the 100 Free were also NWC best times this season.
Honorable Mention: Alexis Knepp (Linfield, Jr.); Nancy Alexander (Whitman, Fr.); Michelle Banks (PLU, Fr.).

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Loren Kilgore (Whitworth, Jr., Gresham, Ore.) scored in all six of his individual events at the Husky Invite. He was 9th in the 500 Free (4:37.70) and 400 I.M. (4:06.42). He was 12th in the 200 Free (1:45.52, with 1:43.80 in prelims) and 13th in the 200 I.M. (1:58.57) and 1,650 Free (16:18.07). He was 17th in the 200 Back (1:55.95). His times in everything but the 200 I.M. are NWC bests this season. His times in everything but the 200 I.M. and 200 Back are NCAA provisional qualifying times.
Honorable Mention: Kris Sletten (PLU, Sr.); Kevin Caple (Linfield, Fr.).

Nov. 22

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Kevin Caple (Linfield, Fr., Littleton, Colo.) anchored the winning 200 Freestyle relay (1:31.71) that gave the Wildcats a team victory over UPS. He also won the 100 Backstroke (56.43) and 200 Freestyle (1:47.23).
Honorable Mention: Joe Nannini (Pacific, Fr.); Kris Sletten (PLU, Sr.).

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Ann van Gessel (Lewis & Clark, Jr., Taipei, China) won the 50 Free (25.78) and 100 Free (56.91) in the dual meet with PLU. She also was part of the winning 200 Free relay (1:48.02).
Honorable Mention: Kate Kuhn (PLU, Fr.); Kate Miller (Willamette, So.).

Nov. 15

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Joe Nannini (Pacific, Fr., Tigard, Ore.) won the 1,000 Free (10:09.03) and 400 I.M. (4:21.61) at PLU, setting a pair of school records and also recording the fastest times in the NWC this year in both events.
Honorable Mention: Kevin Caple (Linfield, Fr.); Greg Wolfe (UPS); Clint Collier (Whitman, Fr.); David Swiosh (PLU, So.).

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Samantha Kephart (Whitworth, Fr., Santa Maria, Calif.) set a pair of Northwest Conference records and automatically qualified for nationals over the weekend in the 100 Fly (57.22) and 200 Fly (2:04.12). She was also part of the winning 400 Medley (4:06.16) and 400 Free (3:48.19) relays on Friday and won the 100 Free (54.42) on Saturday.
Honorable Mention: Nancy Alexander (Whitman, Fr.); Alex Borgen (UPS); Marya Hall (Pacific, Sr.); Kate Kuhn (PLU, Fr.).

Nov. 8

NWC Men’s Swimmer of the Week: Cory Bergman (Whitworth, Sr., Bellingham, Wash.) won the overall title in the NWC men’s Pentathlon while also winning the 100 I.M., 50 Fly, and 50 Breast (he was third in the other two events). He then led the mixed 200 medley relay (1:45.69), 300 breaststroke relay (3:02.92) and 300 I.M. Relay (2:45.92) to victories at Sunday’s NWC Relay Invitational.
Honorable Mention: Justin Lawton (Lewis & Clark, Fr.)

NWC Women’s Swimmer of the Week: Samantha Kephart (Whitworth, Fr., Santa Maria, Calif.) won the 50 Fly (26.56) and 50 Free (25.43) at the Pentathlon, the only woman to win more than one event. She was then part of three winning relays on Sunday – the mixed 200 medley (1:45.69), the 300 fly (3:04.95) and the 600 free (6:05.64).
Honorable Mention: Anne van Gessel (Lewis & Clark, Jr.)