ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Division II Western Colorado swimming & diving is taking a big step up in its next competition, traveling to the University of New Mexico for a Saturday double-dual against the NCAA Division I host Lobos and University of North Texas Mean Green.

The Mountaineers last visited UNM during the 2022-23 season, suffering their only dual-meet loss of the season to the Lobos.

Western heads into the weekend following a triumphant two-day Coaches Classic on Sept. 27-28 when it captured the team title by more than double the points of runner-up Colorado State Pueblo.

The Mountaineers dominated the meet with 291 points, far outpacing Pueblo (138) and third-place Adams State (13).

The opening day of the Classic was hosted by the Mountaineers, with Adams State hosting Day 2.

In all, Western swimmers hit the pad first in 10 individual events over the two days.

Makenna Lambert was a three-time winner, taking Friday's 200-yard freestyle (2 minutes, 1.41 seconds) and 100 free (54.77 seconds), and Saturday's 100 individual medley (1:03.32).

Also winning three times was newcomer Joanna Swiderska. On Friday she won the 50 freestyle (26.10) and the 100 butterfly (1:00.17), then on Saturday she won the 50 butterfly (27.83).

Morgan Nielsen—a participant in three events at the 2023 NCAA D-II championship meet—won two events over the weekend. Nielsen captured the 1,000 free (11:44.33) on Friday, and the 1,650 free (19:39.27) on Saturday.

The 1,000 and the 1,650 were particularly strong events for the Mountaineers as in both events they swam to the top four places. Following Nielsen to the pads Friday in the 1,000 were Sophia Del Rosario, AvaMarie Hopewell and Sidney-Ann Morris. On Saturday in the 1,650, Morris, Del Rosario then Hopewell touched after Nielsen.

Leah Wagner and Adessa Talbot each won one event. Wagner took the 200 IM (2:16.21) on Friday with Talbot taking the 200 butterfly (2:15.82) on Saturday.

Western won three of the four relays, sweeping the 200 medley and 400 free relays Friday, and closing the Saturday event schedule with a win in the 200 free relay.

Mountaineer divers will compete on both boards Saturday at UNM, beginning with the 3-meter board that opens the meet schedule. Later in the meet the divers will come down to the 1-meter board.

At Friday's Coaches Classic session, both Chloe Brown and Alexandra Wallis achieved the first of two required scores for the NCAA 2025 D-II Diving Qualification Meet. They surpassed the qualifying score of 390.00 for 11 dives on the 1-meter board with Brown totaling 429.45 and Wallis scoring 405.05 for her total. They'll be joined in New Mexico by teammate Ashlynn Mixon who will also compete on both boards.

Saturday's meet in Albuquerque will be the Lobos' season opener, but the Mean Green competed in the Sept. 28 Sam Freas Invite in Edmond, Okla., and will take on host New Mexico State in a dual on Oct. 4.