Ludwig Breaks Own School Record Twice in One Day at NWC Championships

By Timothy Walsh, Athletics Communications Writer

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. -- Derek Ludwig (Sr., Moraga, CA/Campolindo HS) broke his own Willamette University record in the men's 100-yard butterfly twice in one day, and Ben Fritz (Jr., Los Gatos, CA/Leigh HS) tied the Bearcat record in the men's 200-yard freestyle, in an eventful third day of competition at the 2020 Northwest Conference Swimming Championships on Saturday, Feb. 15. The meet, which is being held at the King County Aquatic Center, will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 16.

Ludwig's first record-breaking performance of the day came in the preliminary heats of the men's 100-yard butterfly. His time of 51.03 seconds surpassed Willamette's previous best time of 51.42 seconds, which Ludwig had set at the 2019 NWC Swimming Championships.

Just eight hours later, Ludwig broke the record again, turning in a time of 50.87 seconds in the championship final, which was good for fifth place in the event. Prior to last season, the Willamette record was 51.43 seconds, set by Willamette all-time great Steve Koga in 1979.

In addition to Ludwig's record-breaking feats, Fritz tied a longstanding Bearcat record in the men's 200-yard freestyle. His time of 1:42.65 in the championship final tied the record first set by Danny James in 1992. It also earned Fritz a third-place finish. First place went to Finn McClone of Whitworth University at 1:40.85, with Whitman College's Tanner Filion coming in second at 1:42.18.

Fritz was also timed at 1:43.44 in a preliminary heat of the men's 200-yard freestyle, good for fifth-best in Willamette history. Fritz now owns four of the top five times in the Bearcat record books for that event.

Corinne Pierson (So., Port Townsend, WA/Port Townsend HS) and Niki Kates (Sr., Truckee, CA/Forest Charter School) both recorded times that place them on WU's top 10 list for the women's 100-yard backstroke. Both Pierson's time of 58.78 and Kates's time of 59.17 came in the preliminary heats. Pierson and Kates placed seventh and eighth, respectively, in the championship final.

Ben Hedmen (Sr., Davis, CA/Davis HS) earned a fifth place finish for the Bearcats in the men's 400-yard individual medley, with a time of 4:12.24.

Multiple Bearcats swam in the consolation finals on Saturday. Olivia Frenkel (Fy., Fairfield, CA/Angelo Rodriguez HS) was 10th in the women's 200-yard freestyle after taking second in the "B" final. She attained a time of 2:00.08.

In the men's 200-yard freestyle, Alex Hougan (Sr., Olympia, WA/Olympia HS) achieved 11th place overall, Daniel Fang (Jr., Rancho Santa Margarita, CA/Catholic HS) was 12th, and Robbie Daugherty (So., Reno, NV/Damonte Ranch HS) was 16th. Hougan's time was 1:45.93, Fang was timed at 1:45.96, and Daugherty clocked in at 1:49.09.

Colin Hakeman (Sr., Bellingham, WA/Sehome HS) placed 12th overall in the men's 400-yard individual medley with a time of 4:18.31. In the women's 100-yard breaststroke, Min Wei (So., Fushun, China/Cascade HS) finished 14th overall in 1:09.89, with teammate Cameron Taggesell (Sonoma, CA/Sonoma Valley HS) placing 16th at 1:10.06.

Ben Nickell (Fy., Boulder, CO/Fairview HS) was 15th in the men's 100-yard breaststroke in 1:01.34, Will Reeves (Fy., Kirkland, WA/Home Schooled) was 15th in the men's 100-yard backstroke at 55.67, and Jensine Rasmussen (Sr., Tacoma, WA/Stadium HS) placed 16th overall in the women's 400-yard individual medley at 4:55.31.

Both Willamette's men's and women's 200-yard freestyle relay teams placed eighth, with the men's team of Greg Wells (So., Roseville, CA/Woodcreek HS), Jacob Hulti (Sr., Astoria, OR/Astoria HS), Keaton Adams (So., Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty HS), and Evan Segimoto (Jr., Alamo, CA/The Athenian School) finishing in 1:29.12, and the women's team of Gwynneth Fritz (Fy., Los Gatos, CA/Leigh HS), Wei, Rasmussen, and Pierson turning in a time of 1:43.29.

In the men's team standings, Whitworth remained in first place while advancing its score to 460.5 points. Linfield College was second at 478, and Whitman followed in third at 259. Willamette was seventh in the men's standings with 189 points.

Whitman continued in first place in the women's team standings with 486 points. Pacific Lutheran University held second place at 357, and Whitworth was third at 352. The Bearcats were eighth in the women's standings at 124 points.