HOUSTON – The New Mexico State swimming and diving team finished in second place at the 2019 Western Athletic Conference Championship with 582 points while Alix Knagg won the 200 Back championship. Northern Arizona captured its sixth-straight WAC championship with 772 points while Northern Colorado finished in third at 305.5.
 
Head coach Rick Pratt was named WAC Coach of the Year at the conclusion of the meet. This is the fourth time Pratt has earned WAC Coach of the Year honors as he also earned the award in 2009 and 2010 while sharing it in 2017.
 
"I'm really proud of our team, staff and everyone who supported us this weekend," said head coach Rick Pratt. "We still have work to do to get on top, but our team competed with passion and the future is bright for our program. It's bittersweet to have out seniors be finished. They have lead our team throughout this process and I am so proud of everything they've accomplished."
 
The first final of the night was the 1650 Free with Grace Laporte finishing ninth at 17:08.75. Then, Alix Knagg won the WAC championship in the 200 Back, cruising to victory with a time of 1:57.88. Reagan Nentwich (2:01.20) and freshman Anabel Ivanov (2:07.70) placed third and eighth respectively.
 
New Mexico State then had Lauren Wood and Hanna McGowan contest the 200 Breast, an event won by McGowan at last year's WAC Championships. Despite a late push from both Wood and McGowan, neither were able to catch Hope Williams of NAU who finished first in 2:14.53. Wood (2:15.10) placed second while McGowan (2:15.28) came in third.
 
Next, Katherine Harston (2:03.90) and Lanie McAlpin (2:04.80) placed sixth and seventh respectively in the 200 Fly. In the final event of the night, the 400 Free relay, the Aggies squad finished sixth with a time of 4:24.27.
 
The New Mexico State swimming and diving team wraps up the season with its second-consecutive second place finish at WAC Championships. Both MacKinna Hauff and Raina Brommer are set to compete at NCAA diving zones in Flagstaff, Ariz., from March 11-12.