ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – That’s a wrap for the UNM Lobo Swimming and Diving team at the Seidler Natotorium as they dominate in their final home meet of the season against Colorado State with a cumulative team score of 174-126.
The Lobos pushed through 16 events, 11 of which they took first place in to pave their way to victory.
UNM didn’t waste any time in jumping full force in to the water as they took what was not only the first event but also the first out of seven consecutive titles.
The relay A team of Kaela McKee, Kristin Walker, Madi Burns, and Morgan Ginnis raced splits of 27.03, 29.43, 25.77 and 23.14 for a final time of 1:45.37 to put 11 points on the board for the Lobos in the 200-yard medley relay. Amber Amr, Anna Lilliestrom, Abigail Wheeler, and Shayla King finished shortly after at 1:45.99 for third place.
Ginnis and King were seen again in one of the fastest races of the day—the 50-yard freestyle. Ginnis took second place in lane three of the event with a time of 24.08 while King trailed for third place in lane five with a time of 27.27.
Next up, the 1000-yard freestyle. Long distance swimmers, Anna Lengyel and Taylor McGregor, clocked in at 10:43.39 and 11:01.64 to put themselves in first and fifth place, respectively.
Fanni Pataki earned a title in the 200-yard freestyle clocking in at 1:54.95. Lilliestrom raced a time of 1:57.98 in the same event to put her in fifth place.
Pataki claimed first place again in the 100-yard freestyle as she finished at 52.27. Amelie Braul followed for fifth place touching the wall at 53.82.
McKee, Amr, and Braul were seen again at the top of the charts in the 100-yard backstroke as they recorded 57.08, 58.78, and 1:00.94 for first, third and fifth places, respectively.
McKee carried her strength over to the 200-yard backstroke for another first place finish after touching the wall at 2:07.59. Caitlin Gardiner took fifth place at 2:10.42.
New Mexico’s list of first place finishes didn’t stop there. The team racked in another 54 points with appreciation to titles alone in the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard breaststroke, 500-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, and 200-yard IM.
Junior Walker took the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:05.46. Emily McGill came in for fourth place at 1:06.96 and Lindsey Englestead for fifth at 1:07.90.
The Lobos’ underclassmen proved what they could bring to the table as freshman Celine Bertrand and sophomores Lengyel and Wheeler swept the 200-yard butterfly with times of 2:06.70, 2:07.13, and 2:10.80, respectively.
Walker, Englestead, and McGill, pivotal placing swimmers, were seen again as top finishers in the 200-yard breaststroke. Walker came in for first at 2:23.25, Englestead for second at 2:23.52, and McGill for fourth at 2:25.53.
The 500-yard freestyle event followed where Lengyel took first place with a time of 5:11.89 and Bertrand took third place at 5:14.40.
Wheeler, Moss, and Lauren Tininenko are all familiar faces to the scoring board.
Wheeler took the 100-yard butterfly clocking in at 56.72, Moss followed at 57.79 for second, and Tininenko finished for fourth with a time of 1:00.01.
McGill brought in another first place finish for the Lobos in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:08.51. Wheeler and Bertrand finished in the same event for third and fourth with times of 2:10.91 and 2:11.51, respectively.
UNM took their final title in the final event of the day, the 400-yard freestyle relay. New Mexico’s team of Pataki, Braul, King, and Ginnis swam 50-yard splits in the order of 25.13, 52.67, 24.83, 52.87, 25.01, 53.22, 24.27, and 51.87, respectively, for a final time of 3:30.63 for first place. April Chee, Lilliestrom, Gardiner, and Burns took third with a time of 3:32.18.
The Lobos’ feat over the Rams marks the final home meet of the season and the final home meet ever for nine seniors.
A combination of heartfelt poems, gifts, jokes, and tears were presented to Carlie McGregor, Amber Amr, Anastasia Welchert, Caitlin Gardiner, Anna Lilliestrom, Samantha Moss, Sarah Weihe, Taylor McGregor, and Lyndsay Stapleton in honor of their commitment and contributions over the course of four years towards the program.
“It honestly went so fast. I’m just proud to be here with my team, finishing off with the girls that I’ve been with for four years. I’m really honored to be given the opportunity to be here,” says one of four senior team captains Amber Amr. She includes how it feels even better to win on Senior Day.
Head Coach Kunio Kono is satisfied with his team’s performance against Colorado State. He says competing at home and Senior Day was advantageous towards the Lobos and gave the team that extra push in crossing a successful finish line. He also credits the winter intercession’s practice and tapering to their win.
Diving
New Mexico’s diving division showed out in today’s 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events.
Rachel Colman placed highest in both events for the Lobos as she took fourth in the 1-meter and third in the 3-meter scoring 242.03 and 256.36, respectively.
Aundrea Scott finished in the 1-meter for fifth place and 197.40 points while Kayla Taylor followed for sixth place and 189.90 points.
Scott also earned 233.48 points for fourth place in the 3-meter.
New Mexico will have roughly two weeks before heading out to compete again. The divers will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo. to participate in the all day Air Force Diving Invitational beginning on Fri, Jan. 30 while the swimmers will take on Rio Grande rival, New Mexico State, in Las Cruces, N.M. in a two day meet also starting on Fri, Jan. 30 at 5:00 p.m. MT