FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Coming off three straight dual meet victories together, the Northern Arizona swimming & diving team will compete separately for the first time this weekend. With the swimmers off to Las Cruces, N.M. for a multi-day dual meet with New Mexico State, and the divers staying at home for the Lumberjack Diving Invitational, the weekend will be a barometer for where both groups are at through the first month of the season.
 
The swimmers will face the Aggies, the WAC runner-up to the Lumberjacks the last three years, over the course of two days on Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, the divers will compete in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex from Friday-Sunday with the action on each day starting at 11 a.m.
 
For the swimmers, it will be their first road trip of the season. Racing away from their home pool, NAU's two-day dual meet will consist of three sessions with two on Friday (10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.) and one on Saturday (11 a.m.). The three-session meet will be untraditional with both teams competing in all of the conference meet events over the duration of the dual.
 
"It's a different format for just two teams, but it's an opportunity to race against a quality opponent," said head coach Andy Johns. "We have a friendly rivalry with New Mexico State and they're going to push us. It's a chance to swim every conference event and be able to see where we are, especially with all of our newcomers."
 
New Mexico State is 1-2 in dual meets so far this season, having defeated Northern Colorado at home before losing to Wyoming and Idaho.
 
The Lumberjacks have defeated New Mexico, Air Force and Idaho to open the season and have received contributions throughout their lineup thus far. A total of nine different 'Jacks have won dual meet events with freshman Niamh McDonagh leading the way with five victories. Senior Alina Staffeldt has won four, with seniors Roni Houck and Kimmy Richter and freshman Sarah O'Connor each winning three.
 
Meanwhile, the divers will have a tough task ahead of them with their second annual Lumberjack Diving Invitational. They will be among a field of nearly 40 women's entries across eight schools. There will also be several men's divers participating in the three-day invite.
 
NAU will welcome divers from conference rivals (Grand Canyon, New Mexico State), the Pac-12 (Arizona State, California) and the Mountain West (Colorado State, Nevada, New Mexico) to form a highly competitive field. The Lumberjacks will compete on 1-meter on Friday, 3-meter on Saturday and will make their season debut on platform on Sunday.
 
"We're going to see some really good diving from schools throughout the west coast conferences," said diving coach Nikki Huffman. "There are past NCAA national champions in there. We've been doing some platform the last few days and I think our crew is ready to go."
 
Juniors Christina Torrente and Tatiana Kurach have both been named WAC Divers of the Week already this season and have combined for all six of NAU's dual meet event wins. In addition to those two, juniors Raquel Gonzales and Olivia Payne have already tallied NCAA Zone qualifying scores.
 
Gonzales made a statement last season at this meet, claiming first overall on platform while also placing seventh on 3-meter.
 
Admission is free for all fans to attend this week's home diving invite in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex.