The New Mexico State women have added a new member to their recruiting class, as the YMCA Westside Silver Fins’ Olivia Bender has given her verbal commitment to join the Aggies next fall. Bender will head to campus after graduating from Verrado High School. Her primary events are the breast and IM races.
Last season, Bender was a 2-time finalist at the 2015 Arizona Division 2 High School State Championships. There, she placed in the top 5 of both of her individual races, finishing 4th in the 100 breast and 5th in the 200 IM. She then went on to set new best times in both of those races at the Husky Invitational, where she clocked a 1:08.19 in the 100 breast and a 2:13.57 in the 200 IM.
Bender’s Top Times:
- 100 breast- 1:08.19
- 200 breast- 2:32.15
- 200 IM- 2:13.57
- 400 IM- 4:47.41
- 50 free- 25.39
- 100 free- 54.68
At NMSU, Bender will join a breaststroke group that includes WAC Championships A-finalists Lauren Wood and Jennifer Brennecke. Wood was the silver medalist in the 100 breast and 6th place finisher in the 100 breast, while Brennecke placed 7th in the 200 breast. Wood will also be a good training partner for the 200 IM, as she finished 6th in that raace at 2016 WACs.
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