First Meet Shows Cougar Strength

PROVO, Utah – The BYU swim and dive team started the season off right at the annual blue and white alumni meet Friday night at the Richards Building Pool.

With the entire swim and dive team being split into two teams, blue and white, they competed not only against each other, but against a few alumni as well.

“We got a good showing from some of our new swimmers and had a lot of our returners do really well,” BYU head coach Tim Powers said. “All in all, it was a fun meet and it was great to see some of our old swimmers and have them compete against our team.”

The first event of the night was the 200 medley relay. The women started off with Hailey Campbell, Londyn Clawson, Dani Vaughan and Taryn Toolson taking a first with a time of 1:46.52. The men’s team of Nui Harris, Brady Wells, David Armstrong and Ryan Krause took first against fellow team members and a team of alumni with a time of 1:34.24.

The 200 medley was followed by the 1000 free where men and women of the team were combined. For the men, Sammy Bates came in first with a time of 10:13.77, where Marnie Knoop took first place for the women with her time of 10:56.01.

Next up was the 200 free where freshman Alia Welsh took the first place win with a time of 1:55.21. With a few alumni in the heat, sophomore Stott Bushnell was able to grab first for the men with his time of 1:44.99.

In the 200 IM, Londyn Clawson took first for the women with her time of 2:10.05. Sophomore Rafael Alfaro seized the first place win for the men.

The 50 free came next with Toolson taking command and finishing first with her time of 24.01. Jordan Fletcher placed first for the men’s first heat with a time of 21.22, while alumni and former All-American Brett Allen took first in the second heat with his time of 20.63.

Across the deck, Syrena Miskin dove for first place with a score of 317.18 in the 3-meter competition while Dayna Christiensen won the 1-meter with her score of 291.00. For the men, Brandon Watson swept both the 1- and 3-meter with scores of 376.95 and 450.23.

After the diving break, the women began with the 100 butterfly.  Kim Welch came in first with a time of 57.09, while Jordan Fletcher finished first with his time of 50.05.

Toolson grabbed another first-place win in the 100 free with a time of 52.66, while transfer Garret Beaman won the race for the men’s heat with his time of 47.00.

In the 100 backstroke,  Campbell swam for first in the women’s heat with a time of 57.77. For the men, Nui Harris finished first with a time of 53.26.

Following the 100 back was the 500 free. For the women, Welsh took the first place win with 5:09.54. In the men’s heat, Robert Miner came in first with a time of 4:55.20.

First place in the 100 breast went to Kassandra Bispo with her time of 1:02.74.1998 graduate and 2008 hall of fame inductee Byron Shefchik swam the 100 breast in the fastest time of the evening.

The final event was the 200 free relay where the team of Campbell, Allie Dodds, Meghan O’Very, and Toolson took first for the women’s heat with a time of 1:38.85. The men’s team of Dani Bates, Garret Beaman, Jordan Fletcher and Mitch Allphin touched in at first place right ahead of the alumni team with their time of 1:24.48.

The Cougars will travel to Stockton, California for the annual Pacific Invite Oct. 14 -16.