Concepcion Named MW Diver of the Week
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— Make it back-to-back for The University of New Mexico swimming and diving team.
The Lobos are once again being recognized by the Mountain West Conference after another successful weekend in the pool as senior Allyson Concepcion was selected as the Mountain West Diver of the Week by the conference on Tuesday.
Concepcion’s selection comes after senior Adriana Palomino was selected as the MW Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 20, the last time the conference had a weekly selection, and more significantly it marks the first weekly conference honor for the diver during her four years at UNM.
It is also the first time since 2013 that a Lobo has been chosen as diver of the week, with the last UNM diver being Michole Timm on Feb. 6, which was also the last time that UNM has had both a swimmer and a diver chosen for the conference honor in the same season.
The Reno, Nev., native and team co-captain earned the honor after a stellar weekend at the tri-meet against MW teams Colorado State and Air Force, in which she won the 1-meter event and finished runner-up in the 3-meter.
“Ally looks strong and composed,” commented head diving coach Julie Weddle. “She has come a long way and we are proud of her accomplishments.”
Her 1-meter finals score of 267.95 was 2.05 points better than the next competitor and resulted in a season best and an NCAA Zone-qualifying mark. Concepcion also set a season best in the 3-meter dive after posting a 274.65 to add a second-place finish to her 1-meter win and gave the Lobos a 1-2 finish in the event.
The first- and second-place finishes were the best results that the senior has posted this year.
UNM swept both dive events in the meet after fellow Lobo Natasha Dark claimed the 3-meter, and freshman Jocelyn Gallais made it a podium sweep in the event with a third-place result.
The Lobos defeated both the Rams and the Falcons by scores of 168-130 and 211-87, respectively, after winning 11 of the 16 events on the day.
Concepcion and the rest of the swimming and diving team resumes competition in a month, with a meet at Pepperdine on Jan. 5.