Results

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. — The Pacific Lutheran University women's swimming team knocked off the rust after a 47-day layoff on Saturday, resuming the Northwest Conference dual meet season against Linfield University. The Lutes came up short in the team standings, falling 120-70 to the host Wildcats. 

"It's a New Year but the same Lutes!" said Head Coach Andrew Lum.

"Today was a great opportunity for us to shake the rust off and get back into the swing of things with conference competition. The Wildcats provided some very high quality racing and intense energy."
 
Scout Hawkins headlined the day, blowing away the field in the 200-yard breaststroke while the Lutes logged an additional eight runner-up finishes in the first racing of the 2025 calendar year.

Hawkins dominated the 200-yard breaststroke, touching the wall in two minutes, 38.27 seconds, enjoying an eight second buffer on the rest of the field. That wouldn't be the only big swim for Hawkins on Saturday, also logging a runner-up showing in the 1,000-yard freestyle (11:34.07) and the 200-yard backstroke (2:21.93).
 
PLU tallied runner-up finishes in both relays with Lola Chargualaf, Keira Iwamoto, Melissa Zuniga, and Matthea Gaines finishing the 400-yard medley relay in 4:27.14 to open the day while Riley Maher, Karina Yevstifieieva, Anna Haneda, and Gaines closed out the meet in the 400-yard freestyle relay, finishing in 3:55.84. 
 
Chargualaf took second billing in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:11.15 while Maher was runner-up in the 200-yard individual medley in 2:18.76. Yevstifieieva was second in the 100-yard freestyle in 58.87 while Ella Norby was runner-up in the 500-yard freestyle relay in 6:17.28. 
 
"We're in our peak training block right now, and the Lutes showed great promise as we march towards the conference championships in February." 
 
The Lutes are back in action next Saturday, hosting George Fox University in an NWC dual at the PLU Pool. Action is slated to get underway at 1 p.m.