LAS CRUCES, N.M. – For the first time in its history, NM State is set for a MPSF dual meet this weekend, doing so from its home pool in Las Cruces. The Aggies will host Northern Colorado on Saturday as they look to remain perfect and avenge their only head-to-head defeat from a season ago. 
 
WHAT TO KNOW
Who: Northern Colorado at NM State
Where: NM State Swimming & Diving Complex – Las Cruces, N.M.
When: Saturday, Oct. 25 (10:00 AM)
Live Stats: Swimcloud
 
Head Coach Rick Pratt, on the meet: "Saturday's dual will be a big test for our team. UNC has a talented squad and is performing well. They are always tough to compete against and for us to be successful, we're going to need a total team effort and to fight for every point. I'm excited to see how our team will respond to this challenge, especially after the great training we've had this month. It has also been fun to see the progress our divers have made with coach Gucwa. They've been having a lot of fun and sharpening their elements. Overall, there will be much to watch this Saturday. It should be a competitive meet and a beautiful morning on deck."
 
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Starting at 10:00 AM: 3m dive, 200 medley relay, 1000 free, 200 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 200 fly, 50 free, 1m dive, 100 free, 200 back, 200 breast, 500 free, 100 fly, break, 400 IM, 200 free relay
 
LAST TIME OUT
Last Saturday, five Aggies competed at the MPSF Open Water Championships in Long Beach, Calif. The group set out into the Pacific Ocean for an individual 5K before later grouping up for a 4x500 relay in the afternoon. 
 
Estel Galo led the way in the 5K with a time of 1:03:40, coming in eighth out of 76 swimmers. Katie Rink was not far behind in 17^th at 1:05:12, securing a second batch of points for the Aggies. In the 4x500, NM State posted a time of 27:04.96 to place ninth out of 25 teams, wrapping up the day in sixth place overall.  
 
A SEASON AGO…
UNC came away with a close victory in Greeley, Colo., prevailing 168-132 on Oct. 25. Eight Aggies earned wins across 16 events, including the 400 free relay to end the day, but the hosts came away victorious, handing NM State its only dual meet loss of 2024-25.
 
NEW CONFERENCE, SAME MISSION
The Aggies joined the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in July, bidding farewell to the WAC after standing as NM State's final program remaining in the conference. The MPSF houses many familiar faces, including California Baptist, Idaho, Northern Arizona, Northern Colorado, UTRGV and Utah Tech. Pepperdine, Incarnate Word and Pacific and are the only three returning members of the conference, with the Waves lifting the 2024-25 trophy earlier this year. 
 
THE COACH OF A GENERATION
Rick Pratt entered his 21^st season with NM State this fall, but 2025 is his first outside of the WAC. Last year, Pratt guided the program to its best year on record, finishing 8-1 with four wins in five league dual meets. The Aggies racked up five gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the WAC Championships, earning a second-place finish for the seventh time in the past 10 seasons. 
 
VETERAN EXPERIENCE
The Aggies are returning all but five members from the 2024-25 roster, adding just two freshmen in the offseason (Natalia Florian and Willow Messner). In total, nine seniors and seven juniors spearhead a roster with plenty of experience in the pool. 
 
Emily Dobbins, Naomi Slee and Dijana Mazumdar all return after winning WAC Swimmer of the Week awards in 2024-25. Katie Rink also headlines the returning swimmers after a junior campaign in which she set two program records and posted two other top-three times. Mira Tinani is in the early stages of her junior season as an Aggie diver, hoping to carry momentum from what was a strong sophomore showing. The Canadian picked up a second-place finish in the platform dive at the WAC Championships before a trip to the NCAA Diving Zone E Championship finals in the same event. 
 
UP NEXT
The Aggies will return to action two weeks after the meet, doing so from Flagstaff, Ariz. The Crimson & White will square off against Northern Arizona on Friday, Nov. 7, in a league dual at 1:00 PM. The following day, the squad will trek to Phoenix for a clash at Grand Canyon. Saturday's matchup will have live statistics available on Swimcloud.
 
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