The University of Idaho swimming and diving team celebrates its seniors and competes for the first time in six weeks when New Mexico State Aggies come to Moscow Friday for a 5 p.m. meet at the UI Swim Center.

“The gap is pretty standard for swimming and diving, we are an interesting sport because we transcend two different seasons,” coach Mark Sowa said.

During the break the team spent time training and getting healthy. The Vandals spent eight days training in Arizona where they practiced twice a day and the divers had the opportunity to work on all three dives.

The Vandals are excited to be back at it against WAC component New Mexico State, which finished fourth at the Western Athletic Conference Championship Meet  last season.“They are someone we want to chase down so we are pretty excited about that,” Sowa said “but we are also excited because we get to honor two of our seniors.”

Seniors Meaghan McCloskey and Kelsie Saxe will compete in their last home meet Friday. The two have both been tremendous leaders for the team.

McCloskey, a Washington native, has become a great leader on the team and her positive energy has been really fun to watch as she progressed as a swimmer over the last 18 months.

“We can expect some great things from her this year in the butterfly events and the 200 IM at the end of the year,” Sowa said

In Saxe’s swimming career at Idaho she has worked her way into the best breaststroker in the history of the program. She holds the school record in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, both medley relay races and the second fastest 50m breaststroke spilt in the conference.

“She is really a tremendous athlete,” Sowa Said