FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – Linfield standout Kirsti Keppo collected her second career title in the women's 1,650-yard freestyle, Sarah Arpag matched her own school record on the way to a second-place result in the women's 200 butterfly, and Kai Laitinen reached the podium with a third-place medal in the 1,650 freestyle, wrapping up the final day of action Sunday at the 2025 Northwest Conference Swimming Championships at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center.
 
Keppo and Arpag, who each prevailed in two individual events and placed second in another, were honored at the event's conclusion as NWC Women's Co-Swimmers of the Meet, together with Issabella Hoopes of Whitworth. It was the second straight such honor for Keppo, a junior from Eugene.
 
Both Wildcat men and women earned fourth-place team finishes. Whitworth was team champion on both sides.

All Wildcats placing first through third in individual races earn first team all-Northwest Conference citations. Fourth through eighth-place finishers are awarded second team all-conference distinction. Each member of a championship relay team receives first team all-conference acclaim while second and third-place relay squad members are accorded second team all-NWC honors.
 
WOMEN
Keppo blazed to a winning time of 17:32.53, slicing more than 17 seconds off her season-best time in claiming her second 1,650 freestyle championship and fourth overall individual NWC crown. Her effort came just shy of surpassing her own school record of 17:29.25 set at the 2024 NWC Championships.
 
In addition to Keppo, Chloe Lazaraton also picked up key points for the Wildcats in the grueling 1,650 freestyle. The junior transfer from Westmont College shaved nearly a full minute off her previous best mark to place seventh in 18:35.15. Freshman Annikka Fetro was 15th in 19:49, cutting almost 39 seconds off her top time.
 
In a tightly contested 200 butterfly race, Arpag exactly equaled her school-record time of 2:05.07 yet settled for second place behind Whitman's Riley Avery by a margin of just 33 hundredths of a second. A pair of freshmen contributed points for the Wildcats in the consoluation final of the 200 breaststroke. Alana Zumbrum secured 14th place in 2:37.11 while Ruby Bentz was one spot back in 15th, coming in with a season-best time of 2:37.36.
 
Lauren Bobo-Shisler swam to a career-best time of 53.24 in the 100 freestyle, placing fifth overall while climbing to No. 4 on Linfield's all-time best list. In the consolation final of the same event, sophomore Caley Haydu turned in a fourth-place finish in a season-best time of 55.12. Senior Kalea Mullins took eighth place in 56.17.
 
The women's 400 freestyle relay, consisting of Bobo-Shisler, Keppo, Haydu and Arpag, claimed fourth place in 3:36.59, a six-second improvement over their entry time.
 
MEN
Three Wildcats scored team points in the 1,650 men's freestyle event. Laitinen, a freshman and second-generation Wildcat, cut 12 seconds off his season-best time. He finished third in 16:31.57, placing him No. 8 on Linfield's all-time list. Senior Gavin Smith followed close behind in fifth place, finishing 16:34.50, also a season-best effort. Jack Gallo swam to a career-best 16:56.51 clocking, taking eighth place.
 
Competing in his first NWC Championship event, freshman Sam Postlewait placed fifth in the 200 backstroke. The lanky freshman rolled to a time of 1:54.10, cutting more than two seconds off his entry time on his way to the sixth-fastest result in program history.
 
Carson Washburn was a fifth-place finisher in the 100 freestyle in a season-best 46.34. Washburn's result was the sixth-fastest ever recorded by a Wildcat.
 
Two Wildcats placed in the championship final of the 200 butterfly. Jack Gallo swam to a 1:56.42 result to take sixth place and Rocco Velie timed 1:57.57 to earn eighth. Competing in his final race, Wildcats senior Levi Buker locked up third place in the consolation final of the 200 butterfly in 1:56.74.
 
In consolation final of the 200 breaststroke, Ivan Tontchev was third with a season-best mark of 2:14.35. Laitinen was eighth in 2:21.03.
 
The Wildcat foursome of Postlewait, Washburn, Velie and Smith swam to a sixth-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay in a season-best time of 3:10.68.
 
NWC CHAMPIONS
Kirsti Keppo 500 freestyle
Kirsti Keppo 1,650 freestyle
Sarah Arpag 100 backstroke
Sarah Arpag 100 butterfly
 
SCHOOL RECORD
Sarah Arpag, 200 butterfly, 2:05.07
 
SENIOR SALUTE
Linfield and the Northwest Conference bid goodbye to seven graduating Wildcat seniors. They are: Lauren Bobo-Shisler, Levi Buker, Avery Campbell, Stephany Castellanos-Welsh, Jack Gallo, Kalea Mullins and Gavin Smith.