ALBUQUERQUE -- The BYU women's swimming and diving team swept a four-way dual meet in Albuquerque, N.M., Thursday night. The Cougars defeated Northern Arizona (152-90), Houston (178-58) and conference rival New Mexico (147-95).
Sophomore Heidi Lietz continued her success, winning the 50 free, the 100 fly and swimming on the first-place 200 medley relay team. Other winners included Ashlee Rumfallow and Jennifer Tasker. Rumfallow won the 100 free, swam on the winning 200 free relay team and finished second in the 200 IM while All-American Tasker won the 100 breast and helped the 200 medley relay team to a first-place finish. Lietz, Rumfallow and Tasker all recorded their fastest times of the season in their respective individual events.
Amy Thompson, Amanda Grant and Tina Adkinson also swam well in the competition. Thompson swam on the winning 200 free relay team, finished second in the 200 free and third in the100 free, narrowly missing first-place finishes in both. Grant swam on the winning 200 medley relay team and finished second behind Tasker in the 100 breast while Adkinson finished second in the 100 back.
At the other end of the pool, Kelli Einfeldt swept the diving events, winning both the 1-meter and the 3-meter springboard. Teammate Anna Tutunnikova finished second behind Einfeldt on the 3-meter board.
The women's swimming and diving team will stay in Albuquerque and participate in the Lobo Invitational, Friday and Saturday.
The women's swimming and diving team will travel to Albuquerque, N.M., this week to compete against New Mexico, Northern Arizona and Houston, Thursday, and to participate in the Lobo Invitational, Friday and Saturday. The BYU men's team has the week off.
Last Weekend
The men's team won all six dual meets during the two-day Big West Shootout, Friday and Saturday, in Irvine, Calif., while the women recorded four wins and two losses. The men defeated Washington twice (64-47 and 76-63), Pacific (98-40), Santa Barbara (89-49), Air Force (74-39) and Cal-State Northridge (102-10). The women beat Washington (73-65), Santa Barbara (76-62), Air Force (65-30) and Cal-State Northridge (73-22), but lost to Pacific (57-81) and also to Washington (40-55).
Coach Powers Gets 200 Wins
BYU men's swimming coach Tim Powers passed the 200-victory mark with the wins last weekend at the Big West Shootout. The men's team won all six dual meets during the two-day event to push coach Powers' record to 205-85. He is currently in his 26th year of coaching. Powers coached both the men's and women's swimming teams from 1975-1981, when he turned the women's team over to Stan Crump and directed his full attention to the men's squad. Powers was the 1991, 1996 and 1998 WAC Coach of the Year. In 1990 Powers earned the prestigious Master Coach Award, presented by the Collegiate Swim Coaches Association. The criteria set forward for the award includes coaching teams to conference championships, recording at least 10 consecutive winning seasons, placing swimmers on Olympic teams and coaching athletes to NCAA All-American status.
Men Swimmers to Watch
Arunas Savickas, senior: Swims back and free. Won the 200 free and led the 400 free relay team to a first-place finish on Friday. Won the 100, 200 and 500 free, and led the 200 medley relay team to a first-place finish on Saturday at the Big West Shootout.
Gary Tan, sophomore: Swims back and IM. Tan won the 200 IM and the 200 back, and was on the winning 400 free relay team on Friday. Won the 100 and 200 back, and was on the winning 200 medley relay team on Saturday.
Mike Mullen, sophomore: Swims free. Mullen won the 50 free, and was on the winning 200 medley and 400 free relay teams on Saturday at the Big West Shootout.
Women Swimmers to Watch
Heidi Lietz, sophomore: Swims free and fly. Lietz won the 50 and the 100 free on Friday, and the 50 free on Saturday at the Big West Shootout.
Tamber Covington, freshman: Swims breast and IM. Covington won the 200 breast on Friday, and the 100 and 200 breast on Saturday at the Big West Shootout.
Amy McClellan, freshman: Swims back and free. McClellan finished second in the 200 back both Friday and Saturday, just a half-second behind the winner on Saturday.
Divers to Watch
Viraj Patil, junior: Won the 1M and the 3M events on Saturday at the Big West Shootout.
Aaron Russell, sophomore: Won the 3M event and placed second on the 1M against Utah. Russell is the defending MWC Champion on the 1M board.
Justin Wilcock, sophomore: Finished second on the 1M and the 3M boards Saturday at the Big West Shootout. Won the 1M event against Utah.
Kelli Einfeldt, sophomore: Won both the 1M and the 3M events against Utah.
Rachelle Routsong, freshman: Won the 1M board and finished second on the 3M Saturday at the Big West Shootout.
