Swimming & Diving Win in First Meet Back
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico swimming and diving team finally returned to the pool for the first time in 581 days on Saturday afternoon in Albuquerque. Visiting team Adams State University — an NCAA Division II school — didn’t stand a chance in this relay meet against a Lobos team that had been waiting for this day to come for a very long time.
When the COVID-19 pandemic started sweeping the world in March of 2020, NCAA athletics came to a screeching halt. Out of abundance of caution, UNM cancelled the ensuing 2020-21 season for the swimming and diving team as well. This meant that the Lobos’ meet on Saturday would be their first since February 22nd, 2020.
UNM’s ‘B’ relay handily won the 200-yard Medley Relay to kick things off and the Lobos never looked back. Following a 27.93 second backstroke split for Madison Deucher, Ola Tomaszek, Marina Olmstead, and Katy McCarter held their ground to set the tone for the meet with a victory. New Mexico’s ‘C’ and ‘A’ relay teams came in second and third place respectively, with the only Adams State relay coming in fourth.
UNM won every event in the meet in equally dominant fashion. In only one event did UNM not have all of their relays place higher than ASU’s (this was due to a disqualification of the UNM ‘B’ relay in the 500-yard Freestyle Relay).
Three Lobos enjoyed first place finishes three times in the day. Tomaszek, Olmstead, and Laura Benkova each were on three different winning relays during the meet.
Adams State brought their men’s swim team in addition to their women’s team. The men’s relays competed in a heat immediately following the UNM and ASU women’s relays in the same event.
The Lobos’ diving team had an exhibition competition today as well. Each UNM diver performed a few dives on the 1 and 3-meter diving boards respectively. This exhibition ran immediately prior to the start of the swim meet.
The Lobos swimming and diving teams will be back in action next Friday, October 1st, for their annual Cherry/Silver Intersquad Meet again here in Albuquerque. This will be their final tune-up before official competition begins.