The University of New Mexico Swimming and Diving team head coach Kunio Kono and his staff are excited to announce the signing of five athletes to National Letters of Intent.
Emily Huffer, Adriana Palomino, Konoha Shinada, Chen Pinsly, and Allyson Concepcion will join the Lobo roster for the 2015-16 season.
Kono says, “All 2015-16 incoming swimmers and diver are outstanding academic and athletic athletes. I am thrilled to welcome these young athletes. They will greatly impact the UNM Swimming and Diving program for the next four years.”
Emily Huffer
Emily Huffer is a native from Phoenix, Ariz. and will graduate from Chaparral High School. Her team is coached by Kevin Zacher. Huffer comes to UNM after swimming with the Scottsdale Aquatic Club and holds the club record for the 100-yard long course meter backstroke event. Huffer is a Junior National Qualifier in the 100-yard backstroke. Her skills carry over from the pool to the classroom as she was on the 2012-13 and 2013-14 USA Swimming Scholastic All-American Team.
Emily Huffer’s Top Times include:
100-yard backstroke: 56.57
200-yard backstroke: 2:01.69
50-yard freestyle: 24.64
500-yard freestyle: 5:05.09
“Emily is an amazing young women. We are very excited about what she will bring to our program. Her positive influence will be a great addition and very beneficial to our team,” says Kono.
Adriana Palomino
Adriana Palomino will be joining the Lobos following her graduation from Chandler High School. She comes from her hometown in Gilbert and is the third athlete on New Mexico’s roster native to Arizona. Palomino swam with the Arizona Gold club team under coach Jerry Olszewski. She made a significant impact during her time with the Arizona Club team as she is the record holder in five different events: 500-yard freestyle, 1,000-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle, 800-yard freestyle (long course meters), and 1,500-yard freestyle (long course meters).
Her experience doesn’t stop there; she is a three-time qualifier after her performances in the 1000-yard freestyle for the U.S. Open, 1,650-yard freestyle for the Winter National, and in the 400-yard freestyle and 800-yard freestyle long course meters races for the Junior National event. She also placed top three at the Long Course Meter Sectionals in 2014 and was a top eight finisher three years in a row at the Arizona High School State Championships in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle.
Kono talks on Palomino, “Adriana is a great athlete who can swim multi-distance events and is one of the most talented distance swimmers from the Southwest.”
He includes her progress of increasing her speed in the water and says he is excited to see what she can do for the Lobos in the next for years of her collegiate sports career.
Adriana Palomino’s Top Times include:
800-yard freestyle (long course meters): 8:56.68
400-yard freestyle (long course meters): 4:21.72
1000-yard freestyle: 9:58.87
1,650-yard freestyle: 16:45.15
500-yard freestyle: 4:53.32
200-yard freestyle: 1:50.39
Konoha Shinada
Konoha Shinada is the first out of two international signees to join UNM. She accompanies five other athletes who are currently on the team who are also from out of the U.S. Shinada hails from Hokkaido, Japan and will graduate from Shijonawate Gakuen. She was coached by Osamu Gushi and is a part of the club team named Itoman Swimming School.
As one of the top performers of her age she brings impressive athletic history to the table. She was the 50-meter fly champion at the Japan Junior Olympics, 50-meter fly finalist at the Japan National Championships, and the 100-meter fly finalist at the Japan Inter High School National Championships.
“Konoha is one of the best high school swimmers in Japan,” says Kono. “She is very dedicated towards her swimming and academics and will make an immediate impact for our program with her perfomances in the freestyle, fly, and relay events.”
Konoha Shinada’s Top Times include:
50-yard freestyle (long course meters): 26.49
100-yard freestyle (long course meters): 57.62
50-yard fly (long course meters): 27.82
100-yard fly (long course meters): 1:01.19
Chen Pinsly
Chen Pinsly is the fourth athlete to sign a National Letter of Intent for New Mexico. She is the second signee who will travel to the U.S. and join the Lobos as she comes from Caesaria, Israel. Pinsly will graduate from Hof HaCarmel Joint School.
“Chen is a very energized person who loves to swim and compete. We are very excited to have Chen, along with Adriana, they will be the best distance group in UNM history,” Kono says.
Such expectations are supported by Pinsly’s membership in the Israel National Team for Open water and her Israel National Champion title for the 5- and 10-kilometer open water events.
Chen Pinsly’s Top Times include:
5-kilometer: 1:03.16
10-kilometer: 2:05.03
Allyson Concepcion
Allyson Concepcion is the final signee and first diver to commit with the Lobos for the 2015-16 season. She will come to New Mexico after she graduates later this school year from Bishop Monogue High School. Her accolades include three-year running finishes as a Nevada State Champion.
She is UNM head diving coach, Julie Weddle’s, second signee since joining the Lobo program.
Weddle expresses her excitement to recruit Concepcion, “Allyson Concepcion is a great addition to the Lobo family. She brings strength, finesse, and outstanding competitiveness. She will thrive at UNM as well as be top in our conference. I’m excited she is a Lobo for life!”?
