Tallman Breaks 200 I.M. Record Again, Places Second in NWC Finals

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

CORVALLIS, ORE. -- For the second time in one day, Cassie Tallman (Fr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) set the Willamette University record in the women's 200-yard individual medley on Friday, Feb. 13 at the 2015 Northwest Conference Swimming Championships. Tallman's latest record of 2:10.32 allowed her to take second place in the event.

Jacqueline Beal from Whitworth University won the 200-yard individual medley with an NCAA "B" qualifying time of 2:07.68.

Earlier in the day, Tallman set the 200 I.M. record at 2:10.46 during the preliminary heats. Willamette's record in the women's 200 I.M. prior to Friday was 2:12.15 by Becky Fox in 1997.

Tallman also swam the anchor leg as the Willamette women's team set a record in the 400-yard medley relay with a time of 4:02.39, while taking fifth place. Joining Tallman on the Bearcats' 400-yard medley relay team were Michaela Zuber (Jr., Sacramento, CA/Sheldon HS), Ashlyn Witherwax (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) and Malia Santos (Jr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS).

Zuber and Santos were part of the WU medley relay team that set the previous 400-yard record of 4:05.65 at the NWC Championships on 2013. Also competing on the relay in 2013 were Annette Marinello and Hope Nelson.

Another Willamette highlight from Friday's evening session was a fourth place finish by Mark Yuvienco (Fr., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) in the championship final of the men's 500-yard freestyle. Yuvienco's time was a season-best 4:43.61. Brandon Smith from Whitworth won the 500 freestyle in an NCAA "B" qualifying time of 4:36.14.

Tallman earned First Team All-NWC honors in the 200-yard individual medley. Yuvienco received Second Team All-NWC recognition in the 500-yard freestyle.

Three Bearcats competed in the consolation finals on Friday. They were Santos in the women's 50-yard freestyle, Zander Le Bel (Sr., Dallas, TX/Richardson HS) in the men's 50-yard freestyle and Alika Masei (So., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) in the men's 200-yard individual medley.

Santos placed second in the consolation final and 10th overall in the women's 50 free with a time of 25.04 seconds. Le Bel took 16th overall in the men's 50 free in 22.41 seconds.

Masei placed 13th overall and was fourth in the consolation final of the 200 I.M. He registered a time of 1:59.11 in the consolation final to break the 2:00 mark for the first time this season. He was just over the 2:00 mark in the prelims at 2:00.18.

Pacific Lutheran University leads the women's team standings after the first of three days with a score of 217 points. Whitworth is second at 154, with Whitman College in third at 138. University of Puget Sound holds fourth place at 133, with Pacific University in fifth at 99 and Willamette in sixth at 76. Linfield College is seventh with 74 points and Lewis & Clark College is eighth with 46 points.

The men's team standings are topped by Whitworth with 198 points. The Pirates hold a slim three-point lead over Whitman in second place at 195. Puget Sound is third at 147 and Pacific Lutheran is fourth at 125. Pacific owns fifth place with 78 points and Willamette is sixth with 70 points. Linfield follows in seventh place at 67, while Lewis & Clark is eight at 57.

Action at the NWC Championships will continue in the Osborn Aquatic Center through Sunday, Feb. 15. On Saturday, prelims will begin at 10 a.m. (PST), with finals at 6 p.m. On Sunday, prelims will start at 9 a.m. and finals will begin at 5 p.m.