Lobos Win One Lose One in Opening Double-Dual
Albuquerque, N.M. – The University of New Mexico women’s swimming and diving team opened their season on Saturday by hosting a double-dual meet against both Western Colorado University Mountaineers and the University of North Texas Mean Green at Seidler Natatorium on the main campus of New Mexico, the Lobos easily topped the Mountaineers by a score of 239-61, but were defeated by the Mean Green 168-130.
The loss to North Texas was UNM’s closest margin against a Division I team since January 8, 2022 when UNM defeated San Diego 129-106, but San Diego did not compete in diving in that meet.
North Texas also defeated the Mountaineers in a separate dual of their own, moving to 2-1 on the young season. Western Colorado fell to 0-2 in their first two official duals of the season.
New Mexico had plenty to be excited about in their return to the pool, as they came away with a first-place finish in all but one event against the Mountaineers, though they only won two versus the Mean Green. Freshman Arianna Stokes, from Tynemouth, England, was the lone Lobo to be victorious against the Mean Green, placing first in the 50-yard freestyle (23.79) in her first collegiate action. Stokes also placed third against the Mean Green, but second against the Mountaineers in the 100-yard freestyle (53.45).
The other first-place finish the Lobos recorded on Saturday over both the Mean Green and the Mountaineers was in the final event of the day, where their A-relay (consisting of senior Jordan Foster, Stokes, senior Linda Franco, and senior Katy McCarter) emerged triumphant in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:36.56).
McCarter finished ahead of Stokes in the 100-free, placing first in relation to the Mountaineers, but second to the Mean Green (52.81).
Freshman Ellie Broughton, from Chester, England, was extremely successful in her collegiate debut, placing first against the Mountaineers in the 200-yard butterfly (2:09.40), the 500-yard freestyle (5:12.68), and the 200-yard individual medley (2:12.71). Freshman Francesca Benavidez, from Albuquerque, won the 1,000-yard freestyle against the Mountaineers (11:11.51) in what was also her first collegiate dual. Sophomore Kaylah Yazzie, an Air Force transfer, paced both the Lobos and Mountaineers in the 100-yard backstroke (1:00:00) and the 200-yard backstroke (2:12.16) in her Lobo debut.
Foster also emerged triumphant in her bout with the Mountaineers in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.57) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:27.25). Sophomore Sophia Corder also defeated the Mountaineers in the 100-yard butterfly (58.31).
In the diving end of the pool on Saturday, the Lobos also fared extremely well against the Mountaineers, but came up just short against the Mean Green. Sophomore Alice English scored 260.10 off the 3-meter board (placing first against the Mountaineers and second against the Mean Green) and 256.90 off the 1-meter board (placing second against the Mountaineers and third against the Mean Green). Junior Isabella Gomez, a newcomer from Medellin, Colombia, scored 261.80 off the 1-meter board (placing first against the Mountaineers and second against the Mean Green) and 240.65 off the 3-meter board (placing second against the Mountaineers and fourth against the Mean Green).
The Lobos will return to action in two weeks, as they will travel to Laramie, Wyoming, on October 19th to take on the University of Wyoming.