D-I athletes competing at state meet

There is an unusually large number of future Division I athletes who will be performing their high school swan songs at this weekend’s state swimming and diving championships at the Albuquerque Academy Natatorium.

No fewer than five metro-area athletes have already signed their national letters of intent for college, and they’ll be among the featured swimmers in the pool today and Saturday.

Three of the five are from La Cueva, including Jack Hoagland (Notre Dame), who set multiple state records last year at state. Also from the Bears, Natalie Jones (Arkansas) and Chrysten Pacheco (Houston) will be in action.

Cibola’s Keelan Hart (Purdue) and Sandia’s Max Hawton (Kentucky and a two-time state champ in 2018) also are expected to have strong meets.

The meet begins with girls and boys diving prelims and semifinals, starting at 8:30 this morning. The girls will go first, followed by the boys.

Swimming prelims begin at 3 p.m. today.

Girls diving finals are Saturday, in the middle of the swimming calendar. The boys will be on the board first, then the girls.

The swimming finals begin at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. There are 22 swimming finals in all, plus the two diving competitions.

Albuquerque Academy (big schools) and Cottonwood Classical Prep (small schools) were the girls state team champs a year ago. Eldorado and Santa Fe Prep captured the boys titles.