Adriana Palomino has made a verbal commitment to the University of New Mexico Lobos for the 2015-16 season. Palomino is a senior at Chandler High School in Chandler, Arizona who took fourth in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events at the 2013 Arizona State Swimming & Diving Championships last November. Palomino also swims for Arizona Gold Swimming. Her top times include:
1650y free: 16:45.15 1500m free: 17:24.13
1000y free: 9:58.87 800m free: 8:56.68
500y free: 4:53.32 400m free: 4:21.72
200y free: 1:51.87 200m free: 2:07.09
Palomino is a nice pick-up for the Lobos. At the 2014 Mountain West Swimming & Diving Championships, UNM had only one scorer in the 1650 and she was a senior. Palomino’s best mile time would have had her finishing eighth. In the 500, she would have easily qualified for the B-final; the Lobos had an A-finalist and a C-finalist. UNM placed three swimmers in the finals of the 200 free but only took ninth in the 800 free relay. While Palomino is so far just outside of finals range in the 200, she isn’t far off and will be a great addition to that relay.
The current crop of freshman at University of New Mexico includes three sprint freestylers; Palomino is an excellent complement to the Lobos’ roster and should make her presence known in the results from the minute she begins her collegiate career.