The North Texas women’s swimming and diving team had its best outing of the fall season at the UALR Christmas Invitational, breaking six school records and setting new season-best times or scores in 18 events on its way to a second place finish among eight teams.

The invitational wrapped up the Mean Green’s fall season that included North Texas’ first-ever home meet.  North Texas excelled towards the end of the fall season, winning its last three head-to-head contests.  North Texas racked up 806 points at the UALR meet, finishing just 34 points behind champion Drury and 381 points ahead of third-place Ouachita Baptist.

“We had a great meet at Arkansas-Little Rock,” said North Texas head coach Mona Nyheim-Canales.  “We broke six school records, including one relay record.  Since we were so close with Drury, Emily (Cassell) decided to learn five new dives so she could compete and that’s just one example of how the team pulled together.”

North Texas posted season-best times or scores in all but two events at the UALR meet and almost every swimmer set personal season-best times.  North Texas’ two divers, Melissa Whitaker and Emily Cassell, both set personal-high scores in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events.  In fact, Whitaker broke the school record in both events.

The Mean Green won six events and collected 18 top-three finishes at UALR.  Bethany Pipes and Whitaker led the North Texas attack with two first-place finishes each.

“I think the team’s chemistry is getting better,” said Nyheim-Canales.  “They have been learning to work together and I think this team will just get stronger and more confident.  That is how there training is set up and they believe in it.  They are gaining more confidence in one another and starting to see their hard work pay off.”

North Texas will open its spring season on January 15 at TCU.  The meet is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.