LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Aggies will officially begin the 2024-25 season this Friday as they welcome North Texas in what will be their first dual meet of the year. This will be one of four home meets the Aggies host this year.
 
Meet One
NM State (0-0) vs. North Texas (0-0)
Friday, October 4 | 4 p.m. MDT
NM State Swimming & Diving Complex | Las Cruces, N.M.
 
THE STARTING BLOCK
• Following a pair of intrasquad meets last weekend, the Aggies will compete against a real opponent this Friday as they take on the Mean Green.
• This will mark the first of eight dual meets that the Aggies are scheduled to participate in this year and will represent the fourth consecutive season that the two programs meet. In the last four years, the Aggies 2-1 against the Mean Green. This includes an active two-meet win streak. Since 2004, the Aggies hold a 6-3 record against North Texas.
• Last year, the Aggies visited Denton, Texas, on Saturday, Nov. 4, and knocked off UNT by a score of 157-142. This also marked the Aggies' first win of the 2023-24 campaign.
• This year's Aggie roster includes two seniors, 10 juniors, eight sophomores and 11 freshmen. NM State will be led by First Team All-WAC honorees Emily Dobbins, Naomi Slee, Kodi Wiman and Katie Rink. Additionally, the Aggies return nine Second Team All-WAC honorees in Estel Galo, Thea Masselink, Riley Crespo, Mira Tinani, Kathryn Gyde, Emily Dobbins, Katie Rink, Dreamer Kowatch and Naomi Slee.
• The meet is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. (MDT) and the two sides will compete using a 13-event format.
• The meet will also mark the first of the year for NM State's Head Coach who begins his 20^th year at the helm of the Aggie program.
 
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
3-meter dive
400 medley relay
1000 freestyle
200 freestyle
50 freestyle
400 individual medley
1-meter dive
200 butterfly
100 freestyle
200 backstroke
500 freestyle
400 freestyle relay
 
DUAL MEET HISTORY | NM State vs. North Texas (Since 2004)
Nov. 4, 2023 | Denton, Texas | W, 157-142
Oct. 7, 2022 | Las Cruces, N.M. | W, 150-88
Nov. 6, 2021 | Denton, Texas | L, 179-118
Oct. 22, 2011 | Denton, Texas | L, 184.5-115.5
Oct. 23, 2010 | Las Cruces, N.M. | W, 160-83
Oct. 22, 2010 | Las Cruces, N.M. | W, 168-75
Nov. 8, 2008 | Denton, Texas | W, 177-123
Jan. 8, 2008 | Las Cruces, N.M. | W, 142-97
Jan. 16, 2004 | Denton, Texas | L, 156-138

LAST TIME OUT | Crimson & White Meet | Sept. 27, 2024 | RECAP
• Following 11 events, the Crimson team earned a 57-38 victory as it landed 13 podium finishes, including four first-place finishes.
• To open the meet, the Aggies took to the pool for the 200 medley relay that featured a quartet of individuals from each side. Ultimately, the White team posted a time of 1:46.16 to earn a narrow victory by less than three-tenths of a second.
• The first individual event was the 500 free in which Katie Rink (5:03.29) and Naomi Slee (5:07.26) finished first and second, respectively. 
• Then, freshman Dijana Mazudmar clinched the top spot in the 100 free with a time of 51.98 – a time that would have registered as the fastest time for any Aggie last year.
• This was followed by a first-place finish from Kodi Wiman who posted the fastest time in the 200 IM – finishing at 2:11.43. Also in the 200 IM, Riley Crespo came in second with a time of 2:13.03 and Lina Khiyara placed third with a time of 2:16.54.
• Faye McDonagh posted the fastest time in a 100 fly race that the top three finishers all finished within one second of each other. McDonagh's time of 58 seconds came in just ahead of Ellen Osthelder (58.92) and Estel Galo (58.97).
• Following the 100 fly, the divers took to the boards for the 1-meter dive. Freshman Addison Pastiak led the way with a final score of 78.00 points while Mira Tinani finished second (75.50 points) and Peytton Moore secured third (73.50).
• Dijana Mazumdar then doubled her number of first-place finishes with another gold in the 50 free – reaching the wall at 23.94. 
• The next event featured Emily Dobbins who swam a 58.15 to earn first place in the 100 back.
• After her success in the 500 free, Katie Rink battled her way to a first-place finish in the 200 free – finishing with a time of 1:53.66 to secure the top spot. 
• Kodi Wiman picked up the win in the final individual event as she reached the wall first in the 100 breast with a time of 1:05.82. 
• The 200 free relay would wrap things up on Friday afternoon as the Crimson A squad came from behind to win the race with a time of 1:37.06 while the White A team finished second with a time of 1:38.04.
 
QUOTABLE | HEAD COACH RICK PRATT
"Coming off of a fun weekend with our Alumni and Crimson and White events our team's fitness has improved much and this should be a great early test for our group. We've started into paces a little more and fine tuning our skills and we'll be looking forward to good details and efforts on Friday.  It is still very early, but our team is eager to succeed and will put up a competitive meet against a well-coached UNT team."
 
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