ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — For most of UNM’s senior class, it’s been a trick-to-navigate four years. For Ola Tomaszek it’s been five. There’s been a coaching change, and a season lost to COVID. Throughout all of it, all seven of UNM’s seniors, Maddie Deucher, Jordan Foster, Kristen Hepfer, Kiana Raagas, Iryna Tsesiul, and Ola Tomaszek have laid the groundwork for the future of Lobo Swimming and Diving.
All seven will be honored at Saturday’s Senior Day home meet against a Mountain West contending team in Wyoming. The meet starts at 11 a.m., but the senior ceremony will be at 10:45 a.m.
With a new staff at the helm led by Naya Higashijima, UNM’s senior class has led the way, and while there haven’t been any wins in dual meets this year, that’s not to say that the 2023-24 season hasn’t seen tremendous progress. UNM has been picking up event wins left and right, and Jordan Foster was the top point-getter at the UNLV Invitational, a meet that had plenty of conference title-contending swimmers and divers. Kristen Hepfer has led a resurgent diving squad that is becoming very hard to beat, and everyone, not just the seniors, have been turning in PRs, almost around the clock.
Most important, the seven seniors will be combining for nine total degrees (one from Evansville, and eight from UNM), and most will be moving on to graduate school. Two Lobos will continue towards doctoral degree paths. All however will be remembered for setting the standard for the new era of Lobo swimming and diving.