Colorado State University Athletics
Monday, January 5
Flagstaff, AZ
1:00 PM
Colorado State
163.5
at
136.5
Northern Arizona
Rams Pull Away With Four Consecutive Wins
1/5/2026 4:58:00 PM | Women's Swimming & Diving
Dawson wins three races as team beats NAU out of the break
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz.  – Coming off the break, times weren't the essence of the day, just results. On that front, Colorado State's women's swimming and diving team checked more in the spectacular column, pulling away from host Northern Arizona on Monday for a 163.5-136.5 dual victory at the Wall Aquatic Center.
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Paced by a quad of 1-2 finishes in races, the Rams won 10 events in the meet, including the bookend relays as Erin Dawson posted a trio of race wins, with Lexie Trietley and Tess Whineray a pair each.
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But a pep talk was required to start the day.
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"We actually we had a little short chat before the meet because I was just sensing some trepidation about illness, injury, competing at altitude and I had to back off," CSU coach Christopher Woodard. "I said you know we're hyper focused on the outcome and we're not focused on the process. So what's your process?
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"We don't focus on your warm-up process, focus on your race strategy. So they got to that, and you know obviously when you start some with some wins you know right off the bat then you're in a pretty good spot. You know things start to roll. So their energy was high, and their grit was apparent."
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Despite winning four the first eight events of the day – including 1-2 finishes in the 200-yard freestyle from Erin Dawson and Mia Axelman, and the 50 free from Lexie Trietley and Azalea Shepherd, the Rams were locked in a 76-74 battle with the only program in their history they've finished a dual with a draw. The Rams' response was to win the next four races getting 1-2 postings in the 200 backstroke (Tess Whineray and Sophia Hemingway) and the 200 individual medley (Dawson and Monica Schmidt in a tie for second), a result which clinched the win as CSU improved to 4-2 in duals this campaign.
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Dawson added a victory in the 500 free, giving her 55 race wins in her career. Trietley swept both freestyle sprints and Whineray took both backstroke events. Even with all of Dawson's experience, even a multi-time conference champion needs a mental boost.
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"She was probably one I was pointing to because she came to me the day prior and confessed she's pretty nervous. Obviously being out of the pool for more than a week, battling illness and not feeling like she's really at her level best, and then competing at altitude I think she felt like, 'OK the deck is stacked against me, how am I gonna represent for my team?' We just talked again about focus on the process, one race at a time, and I think that helped when she started off hot in the 200 free and got the win. That was encouraging for her so she's in a good spot now."
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Quinn Whorley (1000 free), Wright (100 breast) and Evie Munz (100 fly) additionally had runner-up touches in races, while Margo Hauser, Hemingway, Axelman, Shepherd, Gabby Hall, Schmidt and Addie Wicklund all scored in multiple events, as did divers Riley Lee and Sydney Ovesen. Ovesen became the third diver this season to hit the NCAA Zones cut with her 266.18 on the 1-meter.
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Colorado State took both the 400 medley and 200 free relays, with Trietley and Whineray swimming legs on both. In each event, the Rams finished third, with the depth of their performances helping to push the team forward.
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"There were some absolutely critical touch-outs, whether it was Azalea getting the touch out in the 100 fly or Monica getting that touch out in that second place in the 200 IM," Woodard said. "There are some people who sometimes don't grab the limelight but are absolutely critical to the mission."
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The first week back for the team is just heating up as the squad will return from Arizona this week, then head to Colorado Springs on Saturday (11 a.m.) to face a pair of Mountain West foes, Air Force and New Mexico, in a double dual.
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Paced by a quad of 1-2 finishes in races, the Rams won 10 events in the meet, including the bookend relays as Erin Dawson posted a trio of race wins, with Lexie Trietley and Tess Whineray a pair each.
Â
But a pep talk was required to start the day.
Â
"We actually we had a little short chat before the meet because I was just sensing some trepidation about illness, injury, competing at altitude and I had to back off," CSU coach Christopher Woodard. "I said you know we're hyper focused on the outcome and we're not focused on the process. So what's your process?
Â
"We don't focus on your warm-up process, focus on your race strategy. So they got to that, and you know obviously when you start some with some wins you know right off the bat then you're in a pretty good spot. You know things start to roll. So their energy was high, and their grit was apparent."
Â
Despite winning four the first eight events of the day – including 1-2 finishes in the 200-yard freestyle from Erin Dawson and Mia Axelman, and the 50 free from Lexie Trietley and Azalea Shepherd, the Rams were locked in a 76-74 battle with the only program in their history they've finished a dual with a draw. The Rams' response was to win the next four races getting 1-2 postings in the 200 backstroke (Tess Whineray and Sophia Hemingway) and the 200 individual medley (Dawson and Monica Schmidt in a tie for second), a result which clinched the win as CSU improved to 4-2 in duals this campaign.
Â
Dawson added a victory in the 500 free, giving her 55 race wins in her career. Trietley swept both freestyle sprints and Whineray took both backstroke events. Even with all of Dawson's experience, even a multi-time conference champion needs a mental boost.
Â
"She was probably one I was pointing to because she came to me the day prior and confessed she's pretty nervous. Obviously being out of the pool for more than a week, battling illness and not feeling like she's really at her level best, and then competing at altitude I think she felt like, 'OK the deck is stacked against me, how am I gonna represent for my team?' We just talked again about focus on the process, one race at a time, and I think that helped when she started off hot in the 200 free and got the win. That was encouraging for her so she's in a good spot now."
Â
Quinn Whorley (1000 free), Wright (100 breast) and Evie Munz (100 fly) additionally had runner-up touches in races, while Margo Hauser, Hemingway, Axelman, Shepherd, Gabby Hall, Schmidt and Addie Wicklund all scored in multiple events, as did divers Riley Lee and Sydney Ovesen. Ovesen became the third diver this season to hit the NCAA Zones cut with her 266.18 on the 1-meter.
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Colorado State took both the 400 medley and 200 free relays, with Trietley and Whineray swimming legs on both. In each event, the Rams finished third, with the depth of their performances helping to push the team forward.
Â
"There were some absolutely critical touch-outs, whether it was Azalea getting the touch out in the 100 fly or Monica getting that touch out in that second place in the 200 IM," Woodard said. "There are some people who sometimes don't grab the limelight but are absolutely critical to the mission."
Â
The first week back for the team is just heating up as the squad will return from Arizona this week, then head to Colorado Springs on Saturday (11 a.m.) to face a pair of Mountain West foes, Air Force and New Mexico, in a double dual.
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Follow us at -- Twitter: @CSUSwimDive | Instagram: @csuswimdive | Facebook: @CSUSwimDive
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Players Mentioned
FR, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR, FLY, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BK, FL, FR
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BR, FR
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BK, FR
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diver
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR, FLY
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Diver
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FL, IM
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
BK
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
FR
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