HOUSTON – The New Mexico State women's swimming and diving team shined on day three of the Western Athletic Conference Championships at CRWC Natatorium on Friday evening. The Aggies improved to third-place overall with 400 points.
 
"Today we had some outright amazing swims," assistant coach Rachel Judge said. "It started in the morning where we had 12 girls qualify for finals (top 8) and 6 girls qualify for consoles (top 16). We left the pool after the morning session knowing we had done something really special and surprised a lot of people. Our energy is an amazing presence on the pool deck. The girls have just stepped up to support each other and they are swimming to make one another proud. It is so cool to witness."
 
Hanna McGowan gave the Aggies a first-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke event with a time of 1:01.99. Ashley Reynolds (1:03.12) and Lauren Wood (1:03.15) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
 
In the 400-yard IM finals, Alix Knagg notched a third-place finish with a time of 4:19.92, while Lanie McAlpin placed eighth after clocking a time of 4:30.70.
 
Reagan Nentwich placed second in the 100-yard butterfly when she recorded a time of 54.59. Katherine Harston came in seventh-place with a time of 56.80.
 
Senior Picabo Bender posted a time of 1:48.78 in the 200-yard freestyle to claim second-place, while Grace Laporte came in seventh with a time of 1:51.84. Sina Wegel followed in eighth-place with a time of 1:52.86.
 
In the 100-yard backstroke category, Nentwich finished sixth after posting a time of 55.96, followed by Johanna Pettersson in eighth with a time of 56.81.
 
P. Bender, McGowan, Nentwich and Knagg claimed first-place in the 400-yard medley relay when they posted a time of 3:41.67.
 
NM State returns to the pool Saturday, Feb. 24, at 10:30 a.m. for the final day of competition starting with the 200-yard backstroke event.