Bearcats fourth at Burin Invite

NEWBERG, Ore. — Willamette University wrapped up a competitive two days at the Bruin Invitational, held at George Fox University, with strong performances in the pool on the final day of competition.

The Bearcats highlighted the day with a dominating win in the 400-yard individual medley (IM) and a series of key relay placements, ultimately securing fourth place in the overall men's team standings.

Day Two Highlights

Trai N. Xiong led the charge for Willamette, delivering a powerful victory in the 400-yard individual medley, touching the wall in a remarkable time of 4:14.46. This first-place finish earned a crucial 20 points for the team.

The Bearcats' relay teams also posted impressive results:

• The men's 400-yard freestyle relay team—consisting of Nicholas Moore, Xiong, Paul Keith, and Kevin Olmedo—secured a fourth-place finish with a time of 3:16.36, netting the team 30 points.

• The 200-yard medley relay A-team (Ethan Barker, Ka'olapa Masuko, Xiong, and Olmedo) finished seventh, while the B-team (Augie Meier, Jan Beck, Lucas Cardenas, and Keith) added 18 points with their ninth-place finish.

Individual Success

Beyond Xiong's victory, Willamette swimmers consistently added to the team total:

• Kevin Olmedo contributed valuable points with a fifth-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle.

• In the 200-yard butterfly, Lucas Cardenas secured seventh place, closely followed by Colin Duran in eighth.

Final Team Results

The Bearcats' combined efforts across the two-day meet resulted in a strong showing among the five competing teams: