Swimming looks to make waves in the conference for 2025-26 season

Winter is right around the corner, and that means Linfield's men's and women's swimming teams are ready to dive into a new season. Over the next four-and-a-half months, the 'Cats will compete head-to-head against each Northwest Conference institution, head to California for the La Verne Winter Invite, compete in Federal Way, Washington, at the NWC Swim Championships, and aim to earn qualifying bids to the NCAA Division III Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Each team capped off last season with fourth-place finishes at the annual NWC meet, and find themselves ranked in the same position entering the new season; each tabbed fourth in the latest NWC Swimming Preseason Coaches Poll. The women's squad will rely heavily on the senior leadership of Kirsti Keppo and Sarah Arpag, last season's NWC Co-Swimmers of the Meet, to claim their first conference title since the 2022-23 season. Kai Laitenen looks to lead the men's team back onto the podium since 2022-23, where the team ranked third in the conference in consecutive seasons. 

The Wildcats said farewell to four men's and four women's team members from the 2024-25 season. The departures of Lauren Bobo-Shisler, Levi Buker, Avery Campbell, Stephany Castellanos-Welsh, Jack Gallo, Sasha Moore, Kalea Mullins, and Gavin Smith, leave behind a tradition of excellence donning the purple and cardinal, with hopes of returning to the top of the NWC ranks for years to come. Both teams were impressive in duals last season, dropping just two meets each, the men fell to only Puget Sound and Whitworth, while the women's losses came to Whitman and Whitworth. Women's swimming Sarah Arpag and Kirsti Keppo have four total titles to defend in 2026. Kai Laitinen was the lone Wildcat on the podium for the men's team, taking third in the 1,650-meter freestyle. 

Last year's season bests featured Lauren Bobo-Shisler who topped the team in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle. Keppo was the 'Cats leader in 200-meter, 500-meter, 1000-meter, and 1,650-meter freestyle events last season, also boasting the best time in the 400-meter IM at the 2025 NWC Championships. Arpag was the front-runner in the 100-meter, 200-meter backstroke, as well as the 100-meter, 200-meter butterfly, and the 200-meter IM. Alana Zumbrum returns, looking to improve on her best times, leading the Wildcats in the 100 and 200-meter breast stroke events. 

Carson Washburn and Samuel Postlewait led the men's squad in the 50 nd 100-meter freestyle, and senior Nathaniel Veilie held the best 200-meter freestyle time. Sophomore Kai Laitinen returns to handle the long-distance races, as he was the best Linfield athlete in the 500, 1000, and 1,650-meter freestyle races. Postlewait also led the team in both the 100 and 200-meter backstroke, while transfer Ivan Tontchev led the 100 and 200-meter breast stroke. Veilie and Laitinen look to improve to lead the team in all three IM events yet again. 

A mixture of experience on both teams, aim to lead a group of newcomers to help lift the Wildcats to the top of the conference ranks. 

Women's swimming welcomes in a class of four freshmen, with Becca Colburn of Kaimuki, Hawaii, and Manda Reso of Medford, Oregon, who are set to make an impact in the freestyle events. Kira Etheredge, native of Portland, Oregon, looks to compete in the breaststroke. Karmen Kendoll of Molalla, Oregon, rounds out the freshman class for the women's team, as she will compete in the backstroke. Logan Mendez of Tualatin, Oregon, is the lone freshman on the men's team, looking to compete in the distance freestyle and IM events this season. 

In their final seasons as Wildcats, Taila Patterson joins Arpag and Keppo as seniors this season. Patterson, native of Honolulu, Hawaii, competes in the women's backstroke and butterfly events. The men's team features six senior sendoffs, Andrew Lee (IM, Back, Sprints, Free), Elijah Ng (Back, Free), Rocco Velie (IM, Fly, Free), Carson Washburn (Free, Breast), Cadogan Wheat (Fly, Free), and Andrew Seale (Back, Free). 

The postseason is set to begin on Thursday, February 12, at the annual NWC Championships in Federal Way, Washington, at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center. Linfield aims to earn conference titles or national-qualifying marks, where the season would conclude at the the NCAA Division III Championships, held in Indianapolis, Indiana, starting on March 18. 

The 2025-26 season kicks off this Saturday in Salem, Oregon, where the Wildcats open the season at Willamette University for their first meet of the Northwest Conference season. Linfield returns home to host the Pacific Boxers just six days later for their home opener. Following a break during the month of December, the ‘Cats are set to host three of the final four meets of the season in the Wildcat’s pool, taking on Whitworth (Jan. 16), Whitman (Jan. 17), and the Lewis & Clark River Otters (Jan. 23).