Tallman Sets School Record in 200-yard Breaststroke to Place Second in NWC

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- Cassie Tallman (So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) of Willamette University earned second place in the women's 200-yard breaststroke in a school record time of 2:25.58 during the last session of finals at the 2016 Northwest Conference Swimming Championships, on Sunday, Feb. 14 at the King Country Aquatic Center.

It was the second time Tallman broke the record on Sunday. In the prelims, she registered a time of 2:26.62, lowering her own school record of 2:27.83, which she earned at 2015 NWC Championships. Tallman reduced her record by another second in the championship final. Shanell Sullenberger of Pacific Lutheran University won the 200-yard breaststroke title in 2:25.10.

Tallman was one of six Bearcats who competed in the championship finals on Sunday evening. Eight WU swimmers participated in the consolation finals, and five Bearcats swam in the 1,650-yard freestyle.

Joining Tallman for Wilamette in the championship final of the 200-yard breaststroke was Ashlyn Witherwax (So., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School). Witherwax took sixth place in 2:28.46 to rank fifth on WU's all-time list. She also broke her personal record of 2:29.34, set earlier in the day.

Leah Freeborn (Sr., Federal Way, WA/Todd Beamer HS) of WU placed sixth in the consolation final of the women's 200-yard breaststroke for 14th place overall. She touched out with a time of 2:33.31.

Kiley Lin (Fr., Palo Alto, CA/Henry M. Gunn HS) placed sixth in the championship final of the women's 200-yard backstroke in 2:07.81. It was the third-fastest time in Willamette history. Lin set the school record in the prelims earlier in the day at 2:05.73.

Also in the women's 200 backstroke, Michaela Zuber (Sr., Sacramento, CA/Sheldon HS) was eighth in the consolation final to place 16th overall. She earned a time of 2:15.14, which was 0.81 faster than her time in the prelims.

Malia Santos (Sr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Kealakehe HS) of Willamette finished eighth in the championship final of the women's 200-yard butterfly. Her time was 2:16.85.

In the men's 200-yard backstroke, Alika Masei (Jr., Salem, OR/West Salem HS) placed sixth in the championship final with a time of 1:56.47. He missed fifth place by just 0.09. Masei's time ranks sixth on Willamette's all-time list.

Max Thompson (So., Lebanon, OR/Lebanon HS) of WU swam in the 200 backstroke consolation final and took sixth place in 2:03.46. He finished 14th overall. His time was a personal record, dropping his previous best by more than three seconds from 2:06.68 at the 2015 NWC Championships.

The championship final in the men's 200-yard butterfly included Mark Yuvienco (So., San Jose, CA/Bellarmine College Prep) for the Bearcats. Yuvienco finished seventh in 1:55.80 for the seventh-fastest time on Willamette's all-time list.

In the consolation final of the 200 butterfly, Andrew Lum (Sr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) took fifth in a personal record time of 1:59.56, while Dan Aki (Jr., Union City, CA/James Logan HS) placed sixth in 2:00.91. Lum was 13th overall, and Aki was 14th.

Reuben White (So., Portland, OR/Westview HS) registered a seventh place finish in the consolation final of the men's 100-yard freestyle. He finished the race in a personal record of 48.36 seconds and placed 15th overall.

Jason Bayang (Jr., Wahiawa, HI/Hoala School) and Josh Bumgarner (Jr., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla HS) swam in the 200-yard breaststroke consolation final. Bayang placed fourth in the race and 12th overall, while setting a personal record at 2:12.08. Bumgarner was sixth in the consolation final and 14th overall in 2:14.71.

The heats in the 1,650-yard freestyle were held prior to the other events on Sunday evening with all placings determined by time.

In the women's 1,650 freestyle, Kate Harvey (So., Atlantic Beach, FL/Duncan Fletcher HS) of Willamette took 15th in 19:03.64. Anna Burdine (Fr., Seattle, Wash./Mount Rainier HS) missed the top 16 by just five seconds, as she finished 17th in 19:13.23.

Shelby Merrill (Jr., Thousand Oaks, CA/Westlake HS) placed 14th for the Bearcats in the men's 1,650 freestyle. His time of 16:49.58 ranks fourth on Willamette's all-time list. He set his personal record by 9.53 seconds. Bumgarner placed 17th in the 1,650 freestyle in 17:16.36.

Willamette finished fifth -- and barely missed fourth place -- in the women's 400-yard freestyle relay. Whitworth University took fourth in 3:39.34 for a narrow 0.06 margin over the Bearcats, who earned a time of 3:39.40. Swimming for Willamette on the relay team were Zuber, Tallman, Jamie Johnson (So., Seattle, WA/Nathan Hale HS) and Lin.

Team Standings

The NWC women's team championship was won by Pacific Lutheran with a score of 796 points. Whitman College edged out Whitworth for second place, with the Missionaries earning 478 points and the Pirates recording 475. University of Puget Sound was fourth at 371, Linfield College placed fifth at 363, Willamette held sixth at 300, Lewis & Clark College was seventh at 234, and Pacific University was eighth with 155 points.

Whitworth achieved the NWC men's team championship with 700 points. Whitman finished second at 565, with Pacific Lutheran in third at 548. Linfield was fourth with 408 points, and was followed by Puget Sound in fifth at 341 and Willamette in sixth at 219. Pacific placed seventh with 203 points. Lewis & Clark was eighth with 145 points.

Individual Awards

Jacqueline Beal from Whitworth was named NWC Women's Swimmer of the Year. Wesley Walton of Whitworth earned recognition as the NWC Men's Swimmer of the Year. Head Coach Matt Sellman from Pacific Lutheran was chosen NWC Women's Coach of the Year, while Head Coach Steve Shadt from Whitworth was selected NWC Men's Coach of the Year.