FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 13, 2022) - Coming off the program's ninth consecutive Western Athletic Conference title, the momentum did not slow down for the Jacks as the team entered its 40th season of competition in the pool and on the boards.
NAU swimming and diving has competed in seven dual meets and invitational competitions this fall, gearing up for one last invitational before Winter break to close out the first half of the season. In those seven competition's, many athletes have made their mark on the season already as the team chases a tenth straight title.
The freshmen have made the transition to the collegiate level look easy, stepping up quickly for the Jacks. Flagstaff locals and two sisters Grace Wesche and Margaret Wesche earned back-to-back WAC diver of the week honors early on in the season.
Margaret placed two NCAA qualifying scores in just her first competition, earning her first ever WAC diver of the week award, Wesche placed second on the 3-meter dives with a score of 297.83. Going on to the 1m boards, Wesche's momentum was not halted, as she placed third with a score of 272.25. Grace took both first place scores through the 1m and 3m against New Mexico State to close out the back-to-back dual meet weekend for the Jacks. Wesche finished on the 1-meter with a score of 274.50 and on the 3-meter with a score of 265.88.
NAU hosted the first of two Lumberjack Diving Invites in November, as sophomore Makenna Sammons had a standout weekend to earn her WAC diver of the week. Sammons capped off a successful and consistent weekend during NAU's first Lumberjack Diving Invite of the year, finishing on the podium in three of four events, with four top five finishes. Sammons placed second to kick off the invite on the 3-meter boards, with a score of 274.05.
The Jacks hold the top six scores in the WAC on the 3m boards with freshman Mackenna Stocker holding the top score at 305.55. Stocker is followed by Margaret Wesche, Grace Wesche, Makenna Sammons, Emily Luberto, and Maegan Jensen, all respectively holding the top two through six scores in the conference.
In the pool, the Jacks have dominated the conference with eight top times through 17 individual events total. NAU has recorded three or more top five times in the 200 free, the 500 free, and the 1650 free in the WAC. In addition to the top five times, the Jacks hold three or more top ten times in ten events including, the 200 free, the 500 free, the 1000 free, the 1650 free, the 100 back, the 200 back, the 200 breaststroke, the 50 fly, the 200 fly, and the 400 IM.
Casey Craffey earned her season top time in the 1650 free to put her at the top of the WAC, finishing twenty seconds ahead of everyone else racing at 16:30.62. Craffey earned WAC accolades after her performance at the TYR/CMU invitational, bringing in another WAC top time in the 500 free at 4:46.72, just two seconds under her career top time. Craffey also holds the top time in the 1000 free with a time of 9:59.27.
Maddy Rey and Helena Robla-Alvarez hold the second and third top times in the 500 free in the WAC respectively, in one of two swimming events that the Jacks swept the top three times in the conference so far. Going one through three in the 200 free is Elsa Musselman, Robla-Alvarez, and Annie Carlton whose times are within .61 seconds of one another. Musselman also holds the top time in the conference in the 100 fly.
Further proving success in the conference, The Lumberjacks have the top time in the 800 free relay with a time of 7:21.77, five seconds faster than the second top time from GCU, as well as the second top time in both the 400 free relay and the 400 medley relay.
The Lumberjacks will continue the road to the WAC championships this weekend in Las Vegas, Nev. for the three day UNLV invitational set to start on Saturday and go through Monday. To stay up to date with NAU Swimming and Diving, follow the Lumberjacks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
