Wilhelmi Wins 100 Free and is 2nd in 50 Free on Senior Day versus Linfield
By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Julius Wilhelmi (Sr., Roseville, CA/Woodcreek HS) won the 100-yard freestyle and placed second in the 50-yard freestyle on Senior Day at Willamette University, as the Bearcats took on Northwest Conference rival Linfield University in men's swimming on Saturday, Jan. 27 at the WU Natatorium. The Bearcats honored Wilhelmi and fellow senior Logan Copeland (Sr., Sparks, NV/Spanish Springs HS) and Will Mathews (Sr., St. Louis Park, MN/St. Louis Park HS) prior to the meet.
Linfield won the team title in the men's competition, 134-69. Willamette moved to 1-5 overall, 1-5 in the NWC. Linfield upped its record to 5-2 on the season, 5-2 in the NWC.
Wilhelmi took first place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 48.79 seconds. Carson Washburn of Linfield was second at 49.62. Wilhelmi was second to finish the 50-yard freestyle as he was timed at 22.05 seconds. Edan Donaldson won the event for the Wildcats in 21.63 seconds.
In addition to the win by Wilhelmi, the Bearcats earned second place in seven individual events and both relays.
Two WU's seniors competed in the 200-yard medley relay to open the meet, as Copeland swam the second leg and Wilhelmi provided the final lap. William LaDuca (So., Salem, OR/South Salem HS) started the race and Cole Lindberg (Jr., Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake Christian Academy) swam the third leg. WU recorded a time of 1:41.84, while Linfield won the race in 1:38.10.
At the end of the meet Lindberg swam the first leg of the 200-yard freestyle relay. He was followed by Kevin Olmedo (So., La Canada, CA/St. Francis HS), Ka'Olapa Masuko (Fy., Volcano, HI/Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii), and Copeland, as WU placed second in 1:33.96. The Wildcats took first place in the 200 free relay in 1:32.43.
Included in Willamette's second place finishes in individual events were Nicholas Moore (Fy., Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake HS) in two events, Wilhelmi in the 50 free (see above), Copeland, LaDuca, Lindberg, and Olmedo. Moore was second in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 17:54.53 and was second in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:10.88. Copeland placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1:04.68, while LaDuca took second in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:01.44.
Lindberg was a close second in the 100-yard butterfly in 52.80 seconds. Donaldson of Linfield won the 100 butterfly by earning a time of 52.26 seconds. Olmedo claimed second place for WU in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:55.51.
Saturday's action concluded Willamette's dual meet schedule. The Bearcats will be preparing for the 2024 Northwest Conference Swimming Championships, set for Thursday, Feb. 8 through Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.