Official NWC Release

HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Pacific Lutheran University women's swimming team had four student-athletes earn All-Northwest Conference honors, including Emma Gassman and Riley Maher securing First Team accolades.

The NWC office released a complete list of All-Conference award winners on Wednesday with Gassman and Maher earning recognition along with teammates Scout Hawkins and Melissa Zuniga. All told, the four Lutes secured All-Conference honors in one relay and eight times in individual events.

Emma Gassman secured one First Team All-NWC honor and two Second Team All-Conference honors. The Sitka, Alaska native was First Team All-League in the 200-yard backstroke, placing second overall at the 2025 NWC Championships by a split second in two minutes, 7.59 seconds. Gassman additionally was fourth in the 200-yard butterfly in 2:12.95 while swimming a leg on the Lutes' 200-yard medley relay team that finished third overall in 1:48.95. The sophomore was a Second Team All-NWC selection in both of those events.

Riley Maher was First Team All-League in a pair of events while securing Second Team All-League in two more races. The Eugene, Oregon native was third overall in both the 200-yard individual medley (2:09.45) and 400-yard individual medley (4:28.00), securing First Team honors in both distances. Maher additionally earned Second Team All-NWC for a fourth place finish in the 200-yard butterfly (2:12.43) and as a member of the third place 200-yard medley relay squad.

Scout Hawkins earned Second Team All-Conference across four events. The Denver, Colorado native finished fourth in the 1,650-yard freestyle in 18:16.83, was fifth in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2:27.08, while securing seventh overall in the 400-yard individual medley (4:48.73). The first-year additionally was a member of PLU's 200-yard medley relay team. 
 
Melissa Zuniga is the fourth Lute to secure All-League status, landing Second Team honors as a member of the 200-yard medley relay team. A Zillah, Washington native, Zuniga helped the Lutes finish third in the 200-yard medley relay to open the championship meet.

The Lutes finished sixth overall in the team standings at the 2025 NWC Championships which were held from February 13-16 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.