WEEKLY NOTESThe UNM women’s swimming and diving team will compete in its home-opening meet against MWC opponent UNLV on Oct. 26 at 1 p.m in the Seidler Natatorium. The Lobos are fresh off a win at Wyoming and a third-place finish at the Early Bird Invite in Fort Collins and anxiously await Saturday’s battle with the Rebels, who were the second-place finishers in the MWC last season.
LAST WEEK IN COMPETITION- OCT 17The Lobos travelled to Laramie, Wyoming on Thursday, Oct. 17 for a dual-meet against the Cowgirls. UNM came out on top at the end of the day with 127 points to Wyoming’s 116. Eight first-place finishes were clinched by New Mexico, two of which were in springboard diving events. Three UNM newcomers and four returning swimmers had no. 1 finishes, including freshmen Robyn Miller, Whitney Thomson and Kelsey Leckovic, sophomores Becca Barras and Nicole Overeem, junior Tracey Berghian and senior Myra Will.
OCT.18-19The UNM swim/dive team finished up in third place (726 points) at the Early Bird Invite in Fort Collins, Colo., behind host CSU who had 1, 273 points and Wyoming with 756 points. Top finishers for the Lobos included sophomores Becca Barras, Nicole Overeem and Aimee Duvavant as well as senior Myra Will.
LOBOS MAKING WAVES LAST WEEKEND
ROBYN MILLER • FR • NAPA, CALIF.Miller had the best showing for the Lobos on Thursday. She grabbed firsts in both the 500 free (5:13.87) and the 200 free (1:57.71).
WHITNEY THOMSON • FR • ALLEN, TEXASThomson was the best finisher at Wyoming in the 200 IM with a time of 2:13.01. She also placed third in the 200 backstroke (2:16.72)
KELSEY LECKOVIC • FR • BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIALeckovic is slated to be one of UNM’s top sprinters. Against the Cowgirls she placed first in the 100 free (54.52) and third in the 50 free (25.37)
BECCA BARRAS • SO • KITCHENER, ONTARIOBecca was a top finisher in both the meet at Wyoming and the Early Bird Invite. On Oct. 17 in Laramie, she won the 1-meter with 261.15 points and was awarded second place in the 3-meter with a score of 252.15. In Fort Collins, Oct 18-19, Barras was the top diver at the competition, recording first place finishes in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events. She scored 247.75 points in the 1-meter and 447.60 in the 3-meter.
NICOLE OVEREEM • SO • HUTCHINSON, KAN.Overeem is the top returning swimmer for the Lobos and proved it in both meets with three first place finishes and one second place finish. At Wyoming, she won the 1000 free in a time of 10:50.89 and got second place in the 500 free (5:21.83.) behind freshman Robyn Miller. Overeem cleared out two events at the Early Bird Invite. She not only grabbed the top spot in the 500 free ( 5:13.17), bettering the time she set at Wyoming the day before, but also won the 1650 free in 18:06.13.
AIMEE DUNAVANT • SO • EL PASO, TEXASDunavant had a first-place finish at the Early Bird Invite in the 100 fly (1:00.73).
TRACEY BERGHIAN • JR • PHOENIX, ARIZ.The best finish for Berghian of the two meets last week was at Wyoming in the 3-meter springboard. She won first place with 261 points, topping teammate Barras. She went on to place second in the 1-meter at the same meet with 252.15 points. At the Early Bird Invite, Berghian was awarded second place in both events with scores of 241.25 in the 1-meter and 442.05 in the 3-meter.
MYRA WILL • SR • TILLAMOOK, ORE.Myra is undoubtedly UNM’s top returning sprinter. She competed in and won the 50 free at both meets. At Wyoming she received first-place in a time of 24.38 and grabbed first at the Early Bird Invite in 24.86.
LOOKING AT THE REBELSUNM vs. UNLV — Oct., 26 • 1 p.m. • Seidler Natatorium • Albuquerque, N.M.
The Rebels took second place at the 2002 MWC Championships, scoring just sixteen points behind the winners, BYU. UNLV’s Lorena Diaconsescu, took her third straight MWC Swimmer of the Year award last season. The junior claimed six conference titiles at the championships, including three in the relays. She won individual titles in the 100 and 200 yard frees as well as set a MWC record in the 200 IM. Diaconsescu also advanced to the 2002 NCAA Swimming Championships where she took 49th in the 100 free and 22nd in the 200 free.
Other top swimmers for UNLV include junior Alyson Noble who garnered the 2000 Freshman of the Year honors and owns the 2001-2002 MWC title in the 500 free, junior Julie Unrau who laid claim to the 200 butterfly title last year, and sophomore Raluca Udroiu who won both the 200 backstroke and 400 IM at the MWC championships.