Academic Notes: Majoring in interior design...Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award recipient in 2018.

Career Notes: Fourth-fastest time in program history in 200 Backstroke (1:59.93)

2018-2019 (Junior): Swam in 100 and 200 backstroke and 400 medley relay at WAC Championships... Finished seventh in the 100 back with a time of 56.43... Earned silver in the 200 back with a new season best time of 1:59.93... Swam in the second leg of the 400 medley relay to help earn gold with a record time of 3:41.29. 

2017-18 (Sophomore): Earned one All-WAC second team honor at WAC Championships...Swam in 100 and 200 backstroke and 50 freestyle at the WAC Championships...Finished sixth in the 200 Back with a career-best time of 2:00.67...Won the C final and finished 17th in the 100 Back with a career-best time of 57.46...Also recorded a season-best time of 24.40 in the 50 Free...Totaled seven top-three finishes during the season...Placed second in the 200 Back versus Boise State.

2016-17 (Freshman): Earned one All-WAC second team honor at WAC Championships...Swam in 100 and 200 backstroke, 50 and 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle relay at the WAC Championships...Won the B final and finished ninth in the 200 Back with a season-best time of 2:01.05...Swam in the C final and finished 21st in the 50 free after a season-best prelim time of 24.05...Also recorded a season-best time of 52.13 in the 100 Free and a time of 58.09 in the 100 Back...Swam the third leg of the 200 Free Relay team that finished third with a time of 1:33.85...Recorded a season-best time of 57.86 in the 100 Back at Kansas Classic...Totaled 22 top-three finishes with three individual wins and two relay wins during the season.

High School: Won two gold medals in the 50 and 100 freestyles at the Circuito Mexicano de Natacion meet in 2016...Also earned one silver medal in the 50 backstroke and two bronze medals in the 100 and 200 backstrokes...Won first gold medal in 2014 in the 50 backstroke at the Olimpiada Nacional meet...Also has earned bronze medal in the 100 backstroke at the 2015 Olimpiada Nacional and silver medal in the 100 backstroke at the 2014 Nacional Curso Largo...Owns career-best LCM times of 27.07 in the 50 freestyle, 59.11 in the 100 freestyle, 31.26 in the 50 backstroke, 1:05.52 in the 100 backstroke and 2:20.87 in the 200 backstroke...Swam for Gerardo Zaragoza at IESM...Also swam for Nitro Swimming club team.

Personal: Maria Fernanda Montiel-Gamez was born July 10 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa...Daughter of Jose Luis and Maria Montiel...One older sister, Maria Eugenia...Hobbies include cooking and drawing...Lists most memorable athletic moment as winning her first gold medal at Olimpiada Nacional in Mexico...Chose NAU because she loves Flagstaff and it felt like home.