Three Bearcats Register Times on National Swimming Lists

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Three Willamette University swimmers are included on the national top times list for NCAA Division III as compiled by USA Swimming. Cassie Tallman (Sr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt HS) is listed in the top 50 in two events, while Ashlyn Witherwax (Sr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) and Ben Hedman (So., Davis, CA/Davis HS) each have a time included among the top 100 results in one event.

Tallman is 48th in NCAA Division III in the women's 200-yard breaststroke. Her best time this season is also her personal record time of 1:06.98, set this past Friday (Oct. 1) during the preliminary heats at the Oregon Senior Open in Corvallis. In addition, Tallman is 49th in the nation in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:26.24 at Oregon Senior Open on Saturday (Oct. 2).

Witherwax is listed at 96th in the women's 200-yard breaststroke at 2:29.06. She registered the time at the Oregon Senior Open on Saturday.

Hedman is 100th in the men's 200-yard butterfly. His top time of the season is 1:56.09 in Corvallis on Friday. It is also his personal record.

"I am so proud of all of our student-athletes and their performances this semester," Willamette Head Coach Leslie Shevlin said. "It is pretty exciting to have a few swimmers in the top 100 in the nation. We are looking forward to a tough and beneficial winter training trip in January, and to finishing the second half of our season even stronger than the first."

This year, there are 232 men's swimming teams and 259 women's swimming teams in NCAA Division III. A total of 1,360 student-athletes have completed in the women's 100-yard breaststroke and 915 swimmers have participated in the women's 200-yard breaststroke. There have been 725 competitors in the men's 400-yard individual medley this season.