Xiong wins NWC 200 Breaststroke Title

BOISE, Idaho – The Willamette University men's swimming team concluded the 2026 Northwest Conference (NWC) Championships on Sunday, fueled by an individual conference title and a new school record. The Bearcats finished the three-day event in 7th place overall with a team score of 238 points.

Xiong Claims NWC Title; Beck Sets New Mark

The final session was highlighted by sophomore Trai Xiong, who captured the Northwest Conference title in the 200-yard Breaststroke. Xiong touched the wall in 2:02.09, dropping more than two seconds from his preliminary time to secure the gold medal.

Freshman Jan Beck etched his name into the Willamette record books earlier in the session. Beck finished 6th in the grueling 1650-yard Freestyle with a time of 16:33.00. This performance officially broke the school record of 16:15.75 previously held by Ben Fritz. Beck proved his versatility by returning later in the evening to take 6th place in the 200-yard Breaststroke with a time of 2:07.01.

Championship Finalists and Relay Highlights

The Bearcats demonstrated significant depth in the 200-yard Breaststroke, placing three swimmers in the "A" Final. Joining Xiong and Beck was junior Ka'olapa Masuko, who finished 7th with a time of 2:08.31.

Willamette closed the championship with a strong showing in the 400-yard Freestyle Relay. The quartet of Kevin Olmedo, Paul Keith, Ka'olapa Masuko, and Trai Xiong combined for a time of 3:14.96, finishing 7th in the conference.

Other notable Sunday performances included:

• Kevin Olmedo led the Bearcats in the 100-yard Freestyle preliminaries, posting a time of 48.81.

• Ethan Barker and Lucas Evanson competed in the 200-yard Backstroke preliminaries, finishing in 2:08.65 and 2:09.62, respectively.

• Lucas Cardenas represented the Bearcats in the 200-yard Butterfly preliminaries with a time of 2:17.63.