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Undefeated Swimmers Face Pirate Attack

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- It's been smooth sailing thus far this season for the Whitman College swim teams, which have stroked their way to 5-0 starts in the Northwest Conference dual meet season for the first time in program history.

       Lauren Flynn
       Eric Molnar

The Missionaries face a tidal wave of talent this Saturday, however, when the Whitworth University Pirates come to Baker Ferguson Fitness Center for a 3 p.m. dual meet in the Louise and Paul Harvey Pool.

The Whitworth men have captured the last seven NWC championship crowns. Their roster this season includes Michael Wooward, who shared the Men's Outstanding Swimmer award at last year's championship meet, and Rory Buck, who has top NWC times this season in a number of events.

The Whitworth women came within a few points last February of winning a second straight conference crown. Natalie Turner, who was named the Women's Outstanding Swimmer at each of the past three NWC championship meets, again leads the Pirate women.

Both Whitworth teams will bring 5-0 NWC records to Walla Walla on Saturday. Like Whitman, the Pirates have yet to face Puget Sound, also one of the strongest swim programs in the conference.

As last year's NWC championships, the Whitman men finished third in the eight-school field while the Missionary women took fourth.

Whitman Men, Best Times

Team leaders for the Whitman men this season include senior Eric Molnar, junior Jamie Nusse, sophomores Chris Bendix and Mitchell Lee, and freshman Kevin Dyer.

        Jamie Nusse
        Kevin Dyer

In terms of conference-wide "best times" for various events this season, Molnar ranks sixth in the 200-yd butterfly (2:07.28) and seventh in the 200-yd backstroke (57.01). His best time in the 400-yd individual medley puts him in the ninth spot for that event.

Nusse is fifth in the 50-yd freestyle (22.27) and 100-yd freestyle (48.88) and sixth in the 200-yd freestyle (1:47.44) and 500-yd freestyle (4:57.62). He holds the Whitman school record at 500 yards.

Bendix ranks fourth in the 1,000-yd freestyle (10:31.25) and fifth at the 1,650-yd distance (17:34.90). He also has a ninth-best time in both the 200-yd backstroke (2:09.85) the 200-yd breaststroke (2:22.78). He is the school record holder in the two longest freestyle distances.

Lee ranks seventh among the NWC's best 50-yd freestyle times (22.38) and eighth in both the 100-yd freestyle (49.31) and 100-yd breaststroke (1:03.56).

Dyer has made a major impact in his first season, posting the second-best times in the conference in both the 1,000-yd freestyle (10:23.24) and 1,650-yd freestyle (17:10.29).

Other Missionaries with Top 10 NWC times this season are freshman Joey Gottlieb (8th, 200-yd backstroke, 2:07.95), sophomore Matt Rowett (8th, 200-yd butterfly, 2:08.26), sophomore Matt Liedtke (10th-tie, 200-yd butterfly, 2:11.52), and junior Nick Wood (10th, 200-yard breaststroke, 2:23.48).

Whitman Women, Best Times

The Whitman women's team, anchored by junior Lauren Flynn, has received a big boost this season from a talented first-year class that includes Charlotte Graham, Katie Chapman, Helen Jenne and Rebecca Ryle.

        Katie Chapman
     Charlotte Graham

Flynn ranks sixth in the NWC in the 50-yd freestyle (25.45) and eighth in the 100-yd freestyle (55.45). She holds Whitman school records in both events, and she teamed with Graham, Chapman and Jenne earlier this season to set new school records in the 200-yd and 400-yd freestyle relays.

Graham is fifth in both the 200-yd freestyle (2:00.03) and 100-yd butterfly (1:01.70), and sixth in the 100-yd (55.25) and 500-yd (5:22.66) freestyle distances as well as in the 100-yd backstroke (1:02.56).

Chapman is No. 2 in the 200-yd butterfly (2:14.07) and tied for second in the 100-yd butterfly (1:01.00). Ryle is tied for eighth in the 100-yd breaststroke (1:13.15) and ninth in the 200-yd breaststroke (2:28.51). Jenne has clocked the seventh-best time in the NWC in the 50-yd freestyle (25.49).

Natalie Reilly, a junior in her first season of collegiate swimming, ranks 10th in the to-date best times for the 200-yd individual medley (2:21.68).

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu

Published on Jan 21, 2010
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