FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The countdown is under a month until the Northern Arizona swimming & diving team makes the trek to Houston to defend their WAC title. Before the Lumberjacks shift their entire focus to the conference championships though, they will host Boise State on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the Aquatic and Tennis Complex marking their final dual meet of the season.
"It's a huge challenge because Boise State is really good all the way through," said head coach
Andy Johns. "I think we'll be a little more competitive than we were last year at their place because we're better in a few spots. We're looking for an opportunity to get that competition mentality sharp for the conference meet. We'll see our girls at their best as part of the overall preparation for conference."
Saturday's dual meet will be a matchup between NAU – the four-time defending Western Athletic Conference champions – and Boise State – the defending Mountain West Conference champion. Boise State leads the all-time series, 3-2, including a 163.5-84.5 win last season in Boise. The Lumberjacks are 1-1 versus the Broncos in Flagstaff with their victory coming in 2006.
NAU is 5-3 in dual meets this season, most recently splitting its road trip to Colorado. After dropping a tight 123-120 meet to Colorado State, the 'Jacks responded in a big way to crush Northern Colorado, 157-86, two weeks ago.
The Lumberjacks have not had a home dual meet since November and they are 3-0 in the ATC this season.
Senior
Alina Staffeldt and junior
Christina Torrente were named the WAC's Swimmer and Diver of the Week respectively following the Lumberjacks' most recent competition. Staffeldt won both of her individual events and was on all four of NAU's winning relay teams in a perfect weekend versus Colorado State and Northern Colorado. Torrente also went unbeaten as she was victorious in all four springboard events over the course of the two meets.
To take down Boise State – ranked No. 47 in College Swimming national rankings – NAU will need all hands deck, but the Lumberjacks have the talent to do so.
NAU's distance freestyle trio of senior
Kimmy Richter, redshirt junior
Monique King and freshman
Sam Milewski enjoyed another solid weekend in Colorado. The Lumberjacks also received strong swims from senior
Roni Houck, junior
Andrea Schmidt and freshmen
Niamh McDonagh,
Sarah O'Connor and
Elisa Rodriguez among others.
While Torrente was dominating the Colorado State and Northern Colorado dual meets, juniors
Tatiana Kurach and
Olivia Payne and freshman
Jenny Cheetham gained valuable experience at the elite Bruin Diving Invitational. Kurach led the Lumberjack contingent at UCLA with finals appearances on 1-meter and 3-meter.
Boise State has won all three of its dual meets this season including a commanding 187-112 home win over Wyoming last Saturday. The Broncos also defeated Idaho, 167-122, and Nevada, 163-137, earlier in the fall.
After Saturday's dual meet, the divers will host one final competition next weekend before the regular season concludes.
