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Ryan Vickroy (’26) and Lliam Mattingly (’26) duel oustide Smith Auditorium on Nov. 17. Photo by Patricia Krepel. Weekly, a group of friends practices sword fighting in the Kaneko Quad, allowing anyone to take a swing. This is not just some regular fighting; it’s HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts).  HEMA is a combat fighting style that originated in the Middle Ages, though its techniques have since faded out of popularity or have evolved into different sword fighting prac

WU triathlon athlete breaks through the finish line. Art by Adrian Axtell. Since its foundation in 2021, Willamette University's triathlon program has turned an emerging NCAA sport into one of the school’s most impressive competitive success stories. In just a few seasons, the Bearcats have earned podium finishes at multiple regional qualifiers, consistently ranking among the top DIII programs in the country, and most recently competed at NCAA Nationals, taking No. 4 for the

Giant green viruses descend on dorms. Art by Addie Martin. As Willamette University is in the midst of its flu season, health officials at the Bishop Wellness Center explained how they keep track of diseases and encouraged students to utilize Bishop Wellness in preparations for the upcoming semester breaks. Last year’s pertussis (whooping cough) outbreak remains a point of reference for campus health officials as they navigate this flu season.   Willamette has several establi