ALBUQUERQUE,N.M. — The University of New Mexico women’s swimming and diving team had seven individual athletes and one relay team earn All-Mountain West accolades after making program history at the MW Championship. To read the full Mountain West release click HERE.
Between the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons the Lobos had a combined total of 12 swimmers and divers receive All-Mountain West honors, six each season.
The top-eight finishers in every event and the top-three relay teams earned the All-Mountain West distinction based on the results from the championship.
Senior Adriana Palomino was the only Lobo to earn the accolade in three events which were the 500-yard freestyle, the 200-yard freestyle and the 1650-yard freestyle. Palomino was the first swimmer in Mountain West history to win all three events and the first Lobo to win MW Swimmer of the Meet. In the 500 free she swam a 4:43.63, in the 200 free she swam a 1:47.64, and in the 1650 free she finished with a final time of 16:20.53.
Sophomore Klara Farkas was one of three Lobos to be named All-Mountain West in two different events including the 500-yard freestyle and the 200-yard freestyle. Farkas placed sixth in the 500 free with a final time of 4:49.19 and fourth in the 200 free touching the wall at 1:47.97.
Sophomore Matea Sumajstorcic broke her own record by two seconds in the 400-yard IM after finishing in 4:16.01 which propelled her to post a NCAA “B” standard result and place second. She also finished fifth in the 1650-yard freestyle with a final time of 16:41.28 which earned her the All-Mountain West honor.
Senior Konoha Shinada was the final Lobo to earn All-Mountain West in two events which were the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard butterfly. She placed third in the 100 fly when she touched the wall at 53.37 and sixth in the 200 fly with a final time of 2:01.71.
Senior captain Emily Huffer and freshman Hedda Oritsland earned All-Mountain West in the 200-yard butterfly and in the 100 fly, respectively. Huffer placed fourth in the 200 fly with a final time of 1:59.50 and Oristland placed seventh in the 100 fly with a final time of 54.05.
Junior Natasha Dark was the only diver to earn All-Mountain West. She earned the distinction after qualifying for the final with a 270.70 in the preliminary round of the 1m dive event, while placing eighth in the A-Final with a final score of 273.80.
The final honors were given to the 800-yard freestyle relay team, comprised of Palomino, Huffer, Sumajstorcic and Farkas, who set a new school record and earned a second-place finish with a final time of 7:12.04.
Huffer, Palomino, Shinada and Sumajstorcic are all repeat honorees, with Palomino (500 free and 1650 free) and Sumajstorcic (400 IM and 1650 free) earning all-conference in two events last season.
Palomino also earned all-conference in three events in 2017- the 200-, the 500- and the 1650- yard free, as well as two selections in 2016 in the 500- and the 1650-yard free, bringing her career total to 10 all-conference honors.
Shinada also earned all-conference in 2017 in the 100 butterfly and in 2016 to also be a four-time honoree.