New Mexico State vs New Mexico (Women)
- January 27, 2024
- Las Cruces, N.M.
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
Courtesy: NM State Sports
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – For the fifth consecutive time, NM State owned the pool against its rivals from up north as they defeated New Mexico 198-93 at the NM State Swimming & Diving Complex on Saturday afternoon. NM State ultimately amassed 14 first-place finishes and 38 podium finishes across 16 events in its final home meet of the season.
The Aggies got things started quickly as Thea Masselink, Kodi Wiman, Lindsay Puhalski and Kathryn Gyde combined to earn the top spot in the 200 medley relay – turning in a time of 1:46.07. Katie Rink then secured a first-place finish in the 1000 free as she logged a 10:33.48 to finish nearly 24 seconds ahead of the closes competitor.
NM State followed Rink’s performance with a sweep of the podium in the 200 freestyle as Naomi Slee (1:54.02), Dreamer Kowatch (1:56.77) and Lina Khiyara finished first, second and third, respectively.
Moments later, Thea Masselink, Jamie Puhalski and Kira Brownell accomplished the same feat as they posted the fastest three times in the 100 back. The onslaught continued in the ensuing event as Kodi Wiman, Foteini Charitou and Kathryn Gyde went 1-2-3 in the 100 breaststroke.
In the 200 fly, Estel Galo and Ellen Osthelder recorded the top two times while Emily Dobbins, Katie Rink and Emilee Ferrari claimed gold, silver and bronze in the 50 free.
Earlier in the day, Mira Tinani turned in the top score in the 1-meter dive to finish second among all divers. Then, following the 50 free, Italia Aranzabal matched Tinani’s result with a second-place finish in the 3-meter event.
With the action returning to the lanes, senior Lindsay Puhalski picked up the first of her three wins on the day as she clocked in a 52.86 in the 100 free to claim the top spot. Puhalski later posted a first-place finish in the 100 butterfly.
Then, for the fifth time of the day, NM State claimed the top three spots as Thea Masselink, Emily Dobbins and Jamie Puhalski secured a sweep for the Aggies in the 200 back. The 200 breast would be no different as Wiman, McDonagh and Charitou clinched first, second and third, respectively.
In the second distance event, Naomi Slee finished first while Katie Rink finished second in the 500 free. Slee posted a time of 5:05.92 while Rink finished at 5:11.34.
Perhaps the Aggies’ most dominant event of the day came in the 200 IM as seven eight of the top nine times in the event belonged to those wearing “NM State” on their caps. Lindsay Puhalski led the charge with a 2:07.49 to finish first while Faye McDonagh (2:10.98) and Kodi Wiman (2:13.04) finished just behind Puhalski.
The Aggies flexed their muscles once again in the final event of the day as the three Aggie teams finished in the top three spots. This was paced by a first-place finish from the team of Emily Dobbins, Kathryn Gyde, Emilee Ferrari and Katie Rink.
3-meter Dive
2. Mira Tinani – 262.95
3. Casey Schmidt – 204.53
5. Megan Ono – 86.70
200 Medley Relay
1. Masselink, Wiman, L. Puhalski, Gyde – 1:46.07
2. Dobbins, McDonagh, Osthelder, Ferrari – 1:47.33
4. Brownell, Charitou, J. Puhalski, Ceshker – 1:48.63
1000 Freestyle
1. Katie Rink – 10:33.48
3. Bella Marthaler – 11:00.45
4. Riley Crespo – 11:05.28
200 Freestyle
1. Naomi Slee – 1:54.02
2. Dreamer Kowatch – 1:56.77
3. Lina Khiyara – 1:58.64
100 Back
1. Thea Masselink – 57.66
2. Jamie Puhalski – 59.43
3. Kira Brownell – 1:00.68
4. Elizabeth Cervantes-Vanderlugt – 1:00.86
100 Breaststroke
1. Kodi Wiman – 1:05.08
2. Foteini Charitou – 1:07.68
3. Kathryn Gyde – 1:09.01
200 Butterfly
1. Estel Galo – 2:09.38
2. Ellen Osthelder – 2:13.16
50 Freestyle
1. Emily Dobbins – 24.15
2. Katie Rink – 24.46
3. Emilee Ferrari – 24.47
6. Callie Ceshker – 25.03
1-meter Dive
2. Italia Aranzabal – 255.15
3. Mira Tinani – 254.18
4. Casey Schmidt – 235.58
100 Freestyle
1. Lindsay Puhalski – 52.86
3. Dreamer Kowatch – 53.72
4. Callie Ceshker – 54.09
5. Lina Khiyara – 54.74
200 Backstroke
1. Thea Masselink – 2:03.08
2. Emily Dobbins – 2:08.25
3. Jamie Puhalski – 2:10.52
200 Breaststroke
1. Kodi Wiman – 2:22.05
2. Faye McDonagh – 2:25.79
3. Foteini Charitou – 2:27.18
4. Riley Crespo – 2:32.32
500 Freestyle
1. Naomi Slee – 5:05.92
2. Katie Rink – 5.11.34
4. Bella Marthaler – 5:24.87
5. Estel Galo – 5:30.73
100 Butterfly
1. Lindsay Puhalski – 57.22
2. Faye McDonagh – 58.58
5. Dreamer Kowatch – 1:00.27
6. Ellen Osthelder – 1:00.67
200 IM
1. Lindsay Puhalski.- 2:07.49
2. Faye McDonagh – 2:10.98
3. Kodi Wiman – 2:13.04
4. Estel Galo – 2:13.75
5. Thea Masselink – 2:14.37
6. Lina Khiyara – 2:14.90
7. Riley Crespo – 2:16.07
9. Foteini Charitou – 2:16.75
200 Freestyle Relay
1. Dobbins, Gyde, Ferrari, Rink – 1:36.69
2. J. Puhalski, Ceshker, Brownell, Kowatch – 1:39.00
3. Osthelder, Slee, Cervantes-Vanderlugt, Cratsenberg – 1:39.50
Courtesy: New Mexico Athletics
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — An already shorthanded Lobo swimming and diving team was more so against New Mexico State, but none of that mattered to senior Kristen Hepfer, who turned in a double win, sweeping the 1-meter and 3-meter diving titles for the first time in her career as she continued a resounding senior season. The two wins were part of four event wins on a brisk afternoon at the outdoor NMSU Swimming and Diving Complex, where NMSU won 198-93 in UNM’s final dual meet prior to conference.
The Lobos have one more meet, the NAU Diving Invitational February 8-10. There both Hepfer and Alice English, who both have posted Zone qualifying scores during the year, will have one more chance prior to the conference meet to better it.
For Hepfer, the NMSU dual meet was easily her career-best meet, posting a 270.38 score in the 3-meter to take that event, just missing an NCAA Zone qualifying score. It topped her previous best score of 264.53, which she set against NMSU earlier this season.
In the 1-meter last meet Hepfer again paced the field, winning with a Zone qualifying score of 265.35, also a career-best mark. The double victory was the first of Hepfer’s career, and while Alice English didn’t dive this week, the combination of the two gives UNM a formidable 1-2 punch heading into the postseason.
UNM picked up two event wins in swimming events, with Layni Andrle picking up her first of the year in the 200-yard individual medley, winning with a time of 216.51. UNM also took first in the 200-freestyle relay behind Jordan Foster, Katy McCarter, Sophia Corder, and Linda Franco.
Maya Clise took second in 1,000 and Katy McCarter was second in the 100-free. Alex McGill was also second to Andrle in the 200-IM.