ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Coming off an exciting dual meet win at Northern Arizona last week, the University of New Mexico swimming and diving team carries some momentum into its final home meet of the year this Saturday. The Lobos host Rio Grande Rival New Mexico State at noon on Senior Day at Seidler Natatorium. UNM will honor the careers of its three seniors — Shayla King, Lauren Tininenko and Kristin Walker — as it continues to prepare for th Mountain West Championships next month.
“I’m really proud of our three seniors,” UNM head coach Kunio Kono said. “They’ve all done great things here.”
A native of Atlanta, King was named to the Mountain West All-Conference Team for the 2013-14 season after helping the Lobos’ 200 yard medley relay team place third at the conference championships. This year she has her sights set on a second All-Conference award. She has posted the fastest time in the 50 free by a Lobo this season, coming in at 23.08 seconds, which is the eighth fastest time in the Mountain West all year. Back in December she missed the cut for the US Olympic Trials in the 50 free by just one one-hundredth of a second. She has also helped UNM post the sixth and 10th fastest times, respectively, in the 200 free relay and 400 free relay this year.
“Shayla came in with great times as a sprinter four years ago,” said Kono, “but she has managed to improve and is swimming even better now. She came very close to qualifying for the Olympic trials last month.”
Tininenko originally hails from Bentonville, Arkansas, and has been a solid contributor who has appeared in every meet in the last two seasons for the Lobos. She is also an excellent student. She has helped UNM earn the CSCAA All-America Team Award four straight semesters, is a three-time Academic All-Mountain West winner, and was a Mountain West Scholar Athlete in 2013. This season she has raced in the 50 free, the 100 free, the 200 free and the 100 fly, as well as the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. She has the fourth-fastest time on the team in the 100 free, the 200 free and the 100 fly this year.
“Lauren is one of the most improved swimmers on the team,” Kono said. “She’s a great sprinter and will score a lot of points for us this weekend.”
Walker is one of four team captains this season and has embraced a leadership role for the Lobos. She has posted the top 100 breaststroke time on the team and the second fastest 200 breaststroke time. She was won seven solo races this season, including three at Colorado State on October 8, and been a part of three relay wins. For her career she has 11 solo wins and six relay wins. The Colorado Springs native is also a three-time Academic All-Mountain West honoree, as well as a three-time Mountain West Scholar-Athlete.
“Kristin has been a fantastic addition to our program,” said Kono. “She came in four years ago and is now the top breaststroker on the team.”
The Aggies are carrying a bit of momentum into this weekend as well, as they have defeated three of the five teams they have swum against so far this month, including BYU and Oregon State. Their last meet was a 181-119 victory over Idaho back on Jan. 12.
“I’m really excited for Saturday,” Kono said. “Both teams are rested and swimming well. It should be great competition for us. I’m really looking forward to it.”
If the Lobos are able to pull out a victory on Saturday, that will clinch the Rio Grande Rivalry for UNM for the ninth consecutive year. The Lobos have won the trophy every year since the official competition between the two schools began.