Women's Swim & Dive Announces 2019-20 Schedule
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico women’s swimming and diving team officially announced its 2019-20 schedule on Thursday. The schedule consists of six regular-season meets, including a pair of invitationals in which the Lobos will square off against multiple teams. The 2019-20 season is highlighted by one home meet against in-state rival New Mexico State on Jan. 25, 2020.
2019-20 UNM SWIMMING AND DIVING SCHEDULE
The Lobos will kick things off with their annual Cherry & Silver meet on Friday afternoon (Sept. 20) from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. at Seidler Natatorium inside UNM Johnson Center.
The official start of the regular season will be the Chick-Fil-A Invitational hosted by Fresno State on Oct. 11-12 in Fresno, Calif. In addition to competing against Fresno State in the Chick-Fil-A Invitational, the Lobos will also take on Washington State, San Diego State and San José State during their trip. This will be the fourth year of the meet but the first appearance for New Mexico.
The Lobos follow up the Chick-Fil-A Invitational by traveling to Flagstaff, Ariz. where they will compete against Northern Arizona (Nov. 1). Last season, the Lobos met with the Lumberjacks at home in a dual-meet, claiming the victory by 72 points for a final score of 186-114. Sophomore Hedda Øritsland earned three individual titles to help the Lobos to the win.
UNM will wrap up the fall season at the SMU Invitational in Dallas, Texas on Nov. 21-23 where the Lobos will face a tough field including TCU, LSU, Incarnate Word, Missouri State and Fresno State.
For the second year in the row, the Lobos will open the spring season at Pepperdine, this year on Jan. 8. Last season the Lobos posted an outstanding showing, triumphing over the Waves, 160-89. UNM swept all 14 events that included individual victories from senior Breanna Wiercinski, junior Matea Sumajstorcic and Øritsland.
Following their outing in California, the Lobos will return home to host the Rio Grande Rivalry against NM State in a dual-meet on Jan. 25 before finishing up the regular season at Nevada on Feb. 1.
The Mountain West Championship is set to take place in Minneapolis, Minn. on Feb. 19-22. Last season, the Lobos finished with a program-best 792.50 points, good for fourth place overall.
The 2020 CSCAA National Invitational is set to take place March 12-14 in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Lobos will be led this season by seniors Natasha Dark, Asami Terada and Breanna Wiercinski, as well as Talia Passarelli.
Returning standouts include junior Matea Sumajstorcic who earned All-Mountain West honors last season as well as sophomore Hedda Øritsland, who in her freshman season earned several accolades including a meet record in the 50-yard butterfly during day one of the CSCAA Championship.
Last season the Lobos notched five regular-season wins including four straight between Dec. 1 and Jan. 19. The Lobos emerged victorious in the tri-meet at Air Force, a tri-meet at Colorado State as well as a pair of dual-meets against Pepperdine and NM State (both on the road). UNM looks to continue the momentum throughout the 2019-20 season.
Fans can follow all of the action during the 2019-20 season by following @UNMLoboSwimDive on Twitter and Instagram.