Lumberjack Divers Tackle UCLA Invite Whereas Swimmers Fall to Wildcats

TUCSON, Ariz. (January 9, 2026) – The Northern Arizona girls’s swimming and diving groups confronted robust competitors to open the brand new yr, competing at separate occasions Friday afternoon. The divers participated within the first day of the Bruin Diving Invite hosted by UCLA, whereas the swimmers traveled south to Tucson for a twin meet towards the Arizona Wildcats.

In Los Angeles, the Lumberjack divers competed on the 1-meter board and within the group occasion towards a aggressive area that included UCLA, Utah, UNLV, California Baptist, Iowa, San Diego State, Hawaiʻi, USC and Idaho.

Grace Wesche led NAU within the 1-meter championship, ending fifth with a rating of 545.80 after climbing six spots from prelims, the place she positioned eleventh with 255.30.

Mackenna Stocker recorded a top-10 end, inserting seventh within the finals with a rating of 542.05 after getting into finals sixth with a prelim rating of 269.50.

Margaret Wesche completed twenty third within the preliminary spherical with a rating of 230.45, narrowly lacking the top-18 lower, whereas Kirsten Clark rounded out the lineup with a rating of 193.30 to position thirty fourth.

Utah’s Kathryn Grant claimed the 1-meter title with a successful rating of 590.05.

In the group occasion, Northern Arizona positioned seventh out of 9 groups with a rating of 244.20. Hawaiʻi captured the group championship with 281.05.

“All four of our divers were consistent today, with Grace and Mackenna both performing well in the prelims and finals,” head diving coach Nikki Kelsey mentioned. “I was very proud of all the divers’ efforts and poise through a long event. I’m excited to see them compete again tomorrow on the 3-meter.”

The divers will compete on the 3-meter Saturday, adopted by the platform occasion Sunday. Live outcomes can be found on DiveMeets.

In Tucson, the Lumberjacks battled a powerful Arizona squad on the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, falling 164-86.

Arizona captured first place in 13 of the 14 occasions. Sophomore Teddy Sabev was the lone occasion winner for NAU, taking first within the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:23.43 and successful by over 5 seconds.

Sabev additionally positioned second within the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:03.14, simply forward of fellow sophomore Evalotta Aabrams, who completed third at 5:03.39. Aabrams added one other runner-up end within the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:52.01.

Senior Gracie Munk earned two second-place finishes, posting a 56.33 within the 100-yard backstroke and a 2:05.22 within the 200-yard backstroke. Kat Richter positioned third within the 200-yard backstroke at 2:09.48.

Kokona Watanabe completed second within the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.05, whereas Elsa Musselman adopted carefully in third at 52.58. Musselman later positioned second within the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 56.43, adopted by Kaci Kelaher in third at 57.95.

In the 200-yard breaststroke, Mariana Diaz-Ponce positioned second with a time of two:20.65, whereas Trelise Dance completed third at 2:26.02.

Allie Hayes recorded a second-place end within the 400-yard IM at 4:33.22, with freshman Summer Ferguson taking third at 4:36.99.

The meet concluded with the 400-yard freestyle relay, the place NAU’s A group of Watanabe, Musselman, Aabrams and Munk completed second with a time of three:29.71. The Lumberjacks’ B group of Lily Powell, Camryn Brown, Kelaher and Rosie Keith adopted with a time of three:33.27.

“It was a tough meet versus a really good Arizona team,” head swimming coach Andy Johns mentioned. “Teddy’s finishes in the 1,000 and 500 were highlights, as well as Evalotta’s swims in the 200 and 500. Overall, I’m pleased with everyone’s effort and attitude in the pool. We have a lot of details to clean up and two solid weeks of preparation before UNM.”

Northern Arizona returns to motion Jan. 24, touring 325 east to Albuquerque, New Mexico to face the Lobos earlier than turning its focus to the MPSF Conference Championships in February.

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