Splashing Back to Victory: Swimming Teams Make a Splash!

NEWBERG, Ore. – The Whitworth University swimming squads experienced their initial meet competition in six weeks, seizing the opportunity by triumphing over George Fox University in a Northwest Conference matchup on the road. The Pirate women’s team secured victory in all 11 events, winning convincingly with a score of 148-54 against the Bruins, while the men took 9 out of 11 events in a 143-61 win.

Both teams continued their undefeated streak in dual meets this season against NWC competitors.

Isabella Hoopes clinched victory in two individual events and participated in the breaststroke leg of the victorious 400-yard medley relay, leading the Whitworth women’s team. The Pirates commenced the meet with a relay win as Julia Schoenfelder, Hoopes, Maria Girbacea, and Makhaela Parrish finished in 4:10.20.

Hoopes also triumphed in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:13.07 and the 500-yard freestyle in 5:27.69.

Grace Esteban additionally won two individual events for the Pirates, finishing first in the 50-yard freestyle (25.65) and the 200-yard butterfly (2:18.79).

Paige Orlando came in first in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 56.74 and then led the winning 400-yard freestyle relay at the meet’s conclusion. She was accompanied by Julia and Ella Schoenfelder and Parrish, who achieved a winning time of 3:53.32.

Other individual event victors for the women’s team included Alisa King in the 1000-yard freestyle (11:16.45), Jillian Larrabee in the 200-yard freestyle (2:00.97), Taylor Thorne in the 200-yard backstroke (2:13.98), and Megan Bonikowsky in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:28.94).

No male swimmer from Whitworth secured more than one individual win, as the depth of the Pirate team shone through once more. Kai Hayashida, Alex Popov, Henry Brewster, and Parker Dangleis teamed up to win the 400 medley relay with a time of 3:31.64.

Hayashida later clinched victory in the 200 I.M. with a time of 1:58.58, Popov was first in the 200 breaststroke at 2:15.86, and Brewster secured a win in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:57.88.

Austin Elwyn finished in first place for the 200 freestyle with 1:49.58, leading a 1-2-3 finish for the Pirates. Emmett Scott was victorious in the 100 freestyle with a time of 49.94. Both participated in the final 400 freestyle relay, which finished first with a time of 3:15.53. They were joined by Haden Keener and Mason Groth.

Carl McNabb took victory in the 200 back with a time of 1:58.35, and Jake Sachtjen was first in the 500 freestyle with a finishing time of 4:53.34.

The Whitworth teams are set to compete again next weekend, facing off against Lewis & Clark on Friday night and Pacific (Ore.) on Saturday for their last home duals of the season.