FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Linfield University junior Kirsti Keppo successfully defended her title Friday night in the women's 500-yard freestyle, highlighting the second day of racing at the 2025 Northwest Conference Swimming Championships at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center.
 
After two days of competition, the Linfield women sit in third place with 121 points, trailing only Whtiworth and Whitman. Puget Sound and Willamette are next behind Linfield, followed by Goerge Fox, Lewis & Clark and Pacific. Linfield's men are in fifth place after Day 2, nine points back of Whitman. Whitworth leads all teams followed by Puget Sound and Lewis & Clark.
 
WOMEN
Keppo led off Friday's evening session with an impressive victory in the 500 freestyle, notching a new career-best time while easily outpacing her closest rival, Avery Riley of Whitworth, by a nearly five-second margin. Keppo's time of 5:02.53 eclipsed her previous top time of 5:03.69 set in the same pool at last year's NWC Championships.
 
Chloe Lazaraton, making her first appearance for the Wildcats at the NWC Championships, picked up important team points with an eighth-place finish in the 500 freestyle in a season-best time of 5:21.30.
 
Linfield veteran Kalea Mullins locked up a sixth-place result in the 200 individual medley, clocking 2:13.28.
 
Three Wildcat women scored points in the 50 freestyle. Lauren Bobo-Shisler placed seventh in a season-best 24:67, Avery Campbell took 12^th place in a season-best 24.80 and Caley Haydu was 13^th in 25.01.
 
MEN
Topping the list of men's results was the 400 medley relay, made up of Sam Postlewait, Ivan Tontchev, Rocco Velie and Carson Washburn. The foursome swam to a new best time of 3:27.51 to claim third place while trimming eight seconds off their previous fastest effort.
 
Gavin Smith placed eighth in the 500 freestyle, clocking a season-best time of 4:48.54. Jack Gallo was 13^th in 4:52.21.
 
Velie contributed a sixth-place showing with a season-best performance in the 200 IM. His time of 1:55.77 bettered his previous best of 1:56.31.
 
Washburn scored ninth place in the 50 freestyle (season-best 21.30) and Postlewait was 14^th in 21.68.
 
NEXT
Action continues Saturday starting at 9 a.m. with preliminary races six individual events. Finals commence at 5 p.m.