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Aggies seek to clinch first WAC title in program history after 8-1 regular season.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Matthew Knope
Photo: Courtesy
HOUSTON – An entire season of hard work culminates this week in the nation’s fourth largest city. NM State Swimming and Diving heads to the Lone Star State for the 2025 WAC Championships in search of its first team title in the conference. The four-day event will take place in the CRWC Natatorium on the University of Houston campus, beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
The Aggies will enter the championships with an impressive 8-1 record, as their eight victories represent the highest win total since a 10-win season during the 2008-09 campaign. This will be the first time the Crimson & White see action since their dual meet at New Mexico on Feb. 8. In the regular-season finale, Rick Pratt‘s squad took down the hosting Lobos by a score of 197-102, led by the efforts of Emily Dobbins, who was named WAC Swimmer of the Week on Feb. 12.
In this event last season, the Aggies finished third as a team with 504 points, behind Grand Canyon and Northern Arizona. The Lumberjacks clinched their 11th straight WAC Championship with a combined team score of 841.5.
The first event on Wednesday is slated to begin at 9:30 a.m., when men’s diving will commence the 1m before the women’s 3m dive opens at 12:15 p.m. Women’s swimming will begin at 5:00 p.m., with the 200 medley relay, before the 800 free relay at 5:40 p.m. All times listed are Mountain (MST) and subject to change.
2025 WAC Championships
NM State Swimming and Diving (8-1)
Wednesday, Feb. 26 – Saturday, March 1 | Events begin at 9:30 a.m. MT
CRWC Natatorium (University of Houston)
4500 University Dr. | Houston, Texas 77004
Live Diving Results: bit.ly/4i6gUss
LAST TIME OUT | NM State (197) vs. New Mexico (102)
- The Crimson & White took the crown in 11 of 16 events on the day, landing on 32 of the 48 possible podium spots. Emily Dobbins and Dijana Mazumdar each led the way with three first-place finishes including closing out the final two legs of the 200 medley relay.
- Mira Tinani earned the divers a win as the two sides split on the day. The Canadian sophomore posted a pool-best 280.80 in the 3m dive while Peytton Moore and Addison Pastiakfinished fourth and six. In the 1m dive, Tinani placed third while Moore and Pastiak went fifth and sixth.
- Kira Brownell, Kathryn Gyde, Emily Dobbins and Dijana Mazumdar opened up the day with a victory in the 200 IM relay with a cumulative time of 1:43.41. Katie Rink followed up right after with her usual dominant showing in the 1000 free, posting a first-place finish of 10:20.32.
- Mazumdar reached the wall first once again in the 200 free, with three more Aggies straight behind her. Lina Khiyara, Naomi Slee and Dreamer Kowatch wrapped up a 1-2-3-4 Aggie finish in the third event of the day.
- Emily Dobbins’ 55.96 in the 100 back earned her a first-place crown in the 100 back, just ahead of Anna Uren who came in third. In the 100 breast, Foteini Charitou headlined yet another 1-2-3-4 placing. Kodi Wiman, Faye McDonagh and Arleen Rumbaum all finished less than 1.20 seconds apart.
- The entire 200 fly podium belonged to Aggies, led by Estel Galo (2:05.46) while followed by Ellen Osthelder and Emma Bacon. Mazumdar followed up in the ensuing event – the 50 free – with a blazing 23.85 to claim the top spot.
- In the 200 back, Dobbins (2:04.33) led what was a full Aggie podium, followed by Riley Crespo and Anna Uren. Quickly after, Kodi Wiman and Foteini Charitou earned second and third place in the 200 breast.
- Naomi Slee and Katie Rink easily paced the pool in the 500 free, with the former’s 4:58.56 coming just ahead of her teammate’s mark that cleared all competitors by nearly seven seconds.
- The 200 IM was the third and final instance of an all-top-four Aggie finish, led by Faye McDonagh at 2:06.09. Riley Crespo, Kodi Wiman and Lina Khiyara rounded out the podium and then some in the final individual event of the day.
- While UNM managed to narrowly claim the title in the 200 free relay, NM State’s A and B groups went 2-3 in the final event of the afternoon, led by the former quartet of Kathryn Gyde, Emily Dobbins, Kira Brownell and Katie Rink (1:34.50).
QUOTABLE | HEAD COACH RICK PRATT
“This is always the most exciting week of the year for us and with all the hard work and sacrifices our team has made, we are ready and excited to celebrate all of our efforts. This is arguably the best team competitively in program history and we’re looking to make a big impact. With that said, for us to be successful, we need to take it one event and session at a time. This should be one for the books and we’re ready to get started!”
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