BYU’s men’s and women’s swim and dive teams are the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation champions after competing against teams from around the west from Feb. 15 to 18. Coming out on top against eight other teams, the men beat out second place team UNLV 625-603.5. The women competed against 9 other teams and came in first with a score of 739, the second place team of UC Santa Barbra ending with a score of 699.
While the swim teams competed in California, the divers traveled to Colorado. It was BYU’s first time competing in the MPSF, which meant competing against schools the teams had never met before.
After the first day of competition, the men were in fifth place overall and the women in third. BYU’s relay teams that competed the first day, always strong competitors, helped get the Cougars into these top spots.
The 200 medley relay team of Hailey Campbell, Kim Doroghian, Karalee Fuller and Taryn Toolson touched in with a time of 1:42.03 for a third place finish.
Alia Welsh, Allie Dodds, Angela Bennion and Candice Smith took third in 800 free relay with a time of 7:21.14.
The men’s 800 free relay team of Stott Bushnell, Andrew Rutherford, Seth Russell and Sammy Bates ended with a time of 6:35.15, coming in fourth.
Both teams moved up to second place after the second day of competition.
Dodds took second place in the 500 free with a time of 4:52.03 and teammate Amy Xu took third with a time of 4:54.00.
For the men, Rafael Alfaro took fifth in the 200 IM with a time of 1:49.59.
Jordan Fletcher took fifth in the 50 free, touching in at 20.46. Teammate Garret Beaman came in right behind him at 20.50.
The Cougars showed a lot of consistency and all their hard work was paying off. By the end of the third day, both men’s and women’s team were in first place overall.
Beaman, with his time of 1:37.96, took fourth place in the 200 free.
In the 100 breast, Brady Wells came in third with a time of 55 seconds flat.
Campbell and Smith took first and second places respectively in the 100 back. Campbell touched in at 53.47 and Smith at 55.27.
BYU’s relay teams kept up with great performances on the third day as well. The 200 free relay team of Toolson, Andrea Grant, Bennion and Campbell grabbed second place with a time of 1:33.24.
Prior to the MPSF Championships, head coach Tim Powers predicted the divers would also do well.
“Our dive program is one of the strongest in the conference,” Powers said in a news release.
Both men’s and women’s dive teams proved him absolutely right.
Brandon Watson swept the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard competitions. On the 1-meter he scored 398.20 and Travis Day took third with a score of 333.25. On the 3-meter, Watson scored 445.90 and Kevin Dreesen took third with a score of 360.75. For platform diving, BYU took second, third and fourth. Watson came in second with a score of 322.20, Day took third with a score of 300.15 and Dreesen took fourth with a score of 286.25.
Dayna Christensen, Syrena Miskin and Raleigh Williams swept the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard competitions. On the 1-meter, Christensen took first with a score of 275.70, Miskin took second with a score of 269.45 and Williaims came in third with a score of 268.95. On the 3-meter, Christensen once again took first, scoring 308.80, Miskin earned herself another second place finish, scoring 305.05 and Williams came in third with a score of 269.65. For platform diving, Williams took first, scoring 195.75, and Miskin took third, scoring 191.75.
Next comes zone diving for both men and womin in Colorado from Mar. 8-10. The NCAA Men’s Championships follow from March 22 to 24. The NCAA Women’s Championships take place in Auburn, Ala. from March 15 to 17.
