BYU Swim and Dive Head to Oklahoma for MWC Championships

PROVO, Utah - (Feb. 21, 2006) - The Cougar swim and dive team heads to Oklahoma City Wednesday for the Mountain West Conference Championships. The men should come away from the championships with another MWC title, while the women will be strong contenders for the title as well.

The men go in as No. 1 in the conference (5-0), with UNLV as No. 2 with a record of 4-1. The women go into the championships tied with UNLV and TCU (6-2) behind No. 1 Utah with a record of 8-0. The last time the women competed against Utah, it came down to the last relay when Utah pulled ahead winning 128-115.

For the men, junior Brett Allen is ranked No. 1 in the conference with a time of 19.91 in the 50 free, and No. 3 in the 100 free (44.76). Junior Jorge Azevedo also leads the Cougars with the No. 1 ranked time of 47.70 in the 100 fly, No. 3 in the 100 free (45.42), No. 3 in the 200 fly (1:50.82) and No. 2 in the 100 back (49.95). Senior Nicholas Tobler is also ranked No. 1 in the 100 breast (56.69) and No. 2 in the 200 breast (2:03.92), just behind senior teammate Benjamin McKee (2:03.53). The BYU men's relay teams are all ranked No. 1, except for the No. 2, 800 free relay.

For the women, freshman Leilani Roberts leads BYU in the sprints, going into the championships ranked No. 1 in the 200 free (1:51.09), No. 10 in the 50 free (24.19), No. 2 in the 100 free (51.11), No. 2 in the 200 IM (2:07.11) and No. 9 in the 100 back (58.34). Sophomore U-Nice Chan is going into the championships with a No. 2 ranked time of 2:05.64 in the 20 fly and a No. 8 ranked time of 5:03.62 in the 500 free. Sophomore Angela Goodson goes into championships with a No. 2 time in the 100 back (57.87), No. 4 time in the 100 fly (56.88) and No. 3 time in the 200 IM (2:07.11).

In the 1 meter diving sophomore Ron Morris leads the men ranked No. 7 (288.07) and Angela Nelson leads the women ranked No. 4 (272.99). In the 3 meter diving, freshman Austin Barrand leads the men at No. 7 with 291.70 points and Nelson leads the women at No. 9 with 294.53 points.

The Mountain West Conference Championships start Wednesday, February 22, and finish Saturday, February 25 in Oklahoma City, Okla.