FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Kirsti Keppo, Avery Campbell and Edan Donaldson each won individual titles to lead the Linfield Wildcats Saturday at the Northwest Conference Swimming Championships at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center.
 
After holding the best team score following the first two days of competition, the Linfield women were overtaken for the top spot by Whitman.
 
The Linfield men held firm on their fourth-place position in the team standings heading into Sunday's final day of racing.
 
Action resumes Sunday morning with preliminary races starting at 9:30. Evening finals in six men's and women's events begin at 4 p.m.
 
WOMEN
Keppo captured the NWC title in the 400 individual medley in 4:32.31. In winning her second NWC crown of 2024, the Linfield sophomore recorded the fourth-fastest mark in program history while cutting nearly seven seconds off her career-best time. Kalea Mullins swam 4:46.19 to secure fifth place and 14 valuable team points.
 
Campbell successfully defended her NWC championship in the 100 backstroke, holding off Shae Agnew of Whitman by .07 of a second, 58.16 to 58.23.
 
Sarah Arpag clocked 58.66 in the 100 butterfly, earning fourth place, and Abbi Karsseboom was 16th in 1:03.44.
 
Kaylee Elsom turned in a seventh-place performance in the 200 freestyle (1:59.22) and Caley Haydu clocked 2:01.59 to secure 11th place.
 
In the women's 200 freestyle relay, Linfield's foursome of Campbell, Whitney Averill, Caley Haydu and Mullins captured third place in 1:38.64.
 
MEN
Donaldson held off strong efforts from Whitworth freshmen Henry Brewster and Austin Elwyn to claim the 100 butterfly championship in 49.36.
 
Linfield sophomore Carson Washburn scored an eighth-place finish in the 200 freestyle, reaching the wall in 1:45.15. Cam Wheeler was 14th in the same event in 1:46.35.
 
In the 100 breaststroke, Ivan Tontchev raced to a sixth-place showing. His time of 58.16 contributed 13 team points. Sasha Moore tied for 13th place in the same event in 1:01.03.
 
The men's 200 freestyle relay, comprised of Daniel Olson, Washburn, Tontchev and Wheeler, finished in 1:26.55 to take fourth place.