Contact: Mark Albanese, Director of Sports Communication

Complete NWC Men's Preseason Poll

Complete NWC Women's Preseason Poll

HILLSBORO, Ore. -The Northwest Conference released its annual swimming coaches poll on Friday with the Pacific Lutheran University women picked to win the league while the men were picked to finish second.

The Lute women collected four first place votes and 50 total points to secure the top spot in the poll as PLU looks to capture its fourth NWC title in five years. Defending conference champion Whitman College was second with 47 points and the remaining four first place endorsements. Linfield College was third with 35 points while crosstown rival University of Puget Sound rounded out the top four with 33 points. Whitworth University was fifth with 26 points followed by Lewis & Clark College (19 points), Willamette University (15 points), and Pacific University (seven points).

On the men's side, the Lutes collected 42 points and two first place votes to share second place in the preseason poll with Whitworth. Defending league champion Whitman sits atop the rankings with 47 points and four first place votes while Whitworth claimed the remaining two first place votes. Linfield sits fourth with 36 points followed by Puget Sound in fifth (26 points) and Willamette in sixth (17 points). Lewis & Clark is seventh with 15 points while Pacific rounds out the poll with seven points.

The Lutes finished runner-up at the NWC Championships in both genders last season and are both off to 2-0 starts to the NWC dual meet season. PLU hosts Willamette tonight at 6 p.m.