LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of New Mexico Swimming and Diving team finished with strong performances in the first of three days of competition at the UNLV Winter Invitational as they rounded up a total of 235.50 points to put them in second place.
The Lobos trail UNLV by 75.5 points who currently hold first place with 311 points. The rest of the standings are as follows: NAU takes second place with 189 points, Pacific follows for fourth with 168.50 points, NMSU close behind for fifth with 168 points, Fresno Pacific for sixth with 48 points, Cal State East Bay after for seventh with 40 points, and Whittier College for eighth place after accumulating 11 points.
New Mexico kicked off the meet with their highest finish for the day in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of Madi Burns, April Chee, Amber Amr, and Shayla King swam a composite time of 1:34.44 in the A-finals for second place.
Fanni Pataki, Morgan Ginnis, Lauren Tininenko, and Amelie Braul took fourth place in the B-final relay with a time of 1:34.61 in the same event.
New Mexico brought in several other A-final qualifying times in the 200-yard IM, 50-yard freestyle, and 400-yard medley relay.
Freshman Emily McGill and sophomore Lindsey Englestead raced the 200-yard IM event for third and fifth place touching the wall at 2:05.21 and 2:05.45, respectively.
One of the fastest races came next, the 50-yard freestyle.
Chee recorded an A-final time of 23.88 to put her in seventh place. Burns was also seen again as she finished right after for eighth place with a time of 24.26.
The final event in the Buchanan Natatorium was the 400-yard medley relay. New Mexico’s team of Amr, Englestead, Chee, and Samantha Moss wrapped up day one of competition as they finished in the A-finals at 3:48.51 for seventh place.
Diving
The UNLV Winter Invitational counts as the first time in over a month that both New Mexico’s swimmers and divers had the opportunity to officially compete at the same event. The team was separated as the swimmers participated at the Mizzou Invite and the divers at the Wildcat Diving Invitational last month. The Lobos home meet win against Northern Arizona was the last time the swimmers and divers battled together.
Today, freshmen Aundrea Scott and Kayla Taylor showed out for the diving division of New Mexico’s program in day one of the springboard contests.
Scott finished in the 3-meter diving event for sixth place after scoring a total of 233.95 points.
Taylor placed right after for seventh with 190.05 points.
The Lobos will start back up tomorrow in day two of the UNLV Winter Invitational. The event will last all day and will also continue until Monday.