BYU's Savickas and Covington Earn MWC Honors

PROVO -- BYU swimmers Arunas Savickas and Tamber Covington were honored as the Mountain West Conference swimmers of the week Wednesday.

Savickas, a senior from Panevezys, Lithuania, was honored for his performance at the Big West Shootout, Nov. 3-4, in Irvine, Calif. At the event Savickas earned six first-place honors and a second-place award. Savickas won the 500 free (4:26.54), the 100 free (45.26), and twice won the 200 free (1:37.70 and 1:38.78). He also led the 200 medley relay team (1:33.40) and the 400 free relay team (3:05.36) to first-place finishes, and the 400 medley relay team (3:24.61) to a second-place finish. Savickas currently has conference-best times in the 100 free, 200 free and 500 free. The three relay teams (200 medley, 400 free and 400 medley) also have conference-best times.

Covington, a freshman from El Dorado Hills, Calif., won the female swimmer of the week award for her performance at the Big West Shootout. Covington took first place in the 200 breaststroke both days of competition with times of 2:17.75 and 2:18.04, respectively. She also won the 100 breaststroke (1:05.55), finished second in the 200 IM and third in the 400 IM. Covington leads the conference with her times in the 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 IM and 400 IM.

Savickas led the BYU men's squad to six dual meet wins over Pacific, UC Santa Barbara, Cal-State Northridge, Air Force and twice over Washington while Covington led the BYU women's squad to four dual meet wins over Washington, UC Santa Barbara, Air Force and Cal-State Northridge at the Big West Shootout. The men have the week off while the women's team is in Albuquerque, N.M., competing against New Mexico, Northern Arizona and Houston tonight, and to participate in the Lobo Invitational, Friday and Saturday.