Three Cougars Earn MWC Performer of the Week

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Wyoming senior Tommy Gregory and BYU sophomore Brandon Watson have been named Mountain West Conference Men's Swimmer and Diver of the Week, while BYU seniors Natasha Menezes and Tawni Jones earned women's swimming and diving honors, respectively.

Watson, a native of Riverton, Utah, went a perfect 4-0 in both springboard events at Air Force and Wyoming. The sophomore finished first on the 1-meter springboard vs. the Falcons with a season-high score of 361.80. He also won the 3-meter springboard, after tallying 362.78 points, his second-highest total on the year. Watson also swept the springboard events vs. the Cowboys, collecting marks of 339.83 and 369.00 on the 1-meter and 3-meter boards, respectively.

Menezes, who hails from Centennial, Colo., earned three victories in BYU's 185-115 win at Wyoming. The senior, who finished the 500-yard freestyle in 5:10.87 for first place, broke the Corbett Pool record in the 200 free with a time of 1:52.56. She also swam on the Cougars' 400-yard freestyle relay that won in 3:31.05 en route to setting a new facility record. Menezes also won the 200 free at Air Force with a time of 1:57.28, and the 200-yard individual medley with a mark of 2:09.79.

Jones, a product of Mesa, Ariz., earned back-to-back 1-meter springboard titles in BYU’s Conference duel meet victories at Air Force and Wyoming, scoring 312.98 vs. the Falcons and 304.50 vs. the Cowgirls. The senior also placed first on the 3-meter board at Air Force with a mark of 328.35.

Gregory, from Papillion, Neb., earned seven gold medals in Wyoming's Conference duel meet victories over Utah and BYU last week. Against the Utes, the senior swept the freestyle sprint events, finishing the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 21.32 and the 100 free in 47.04. Gregory, who swam the anchor leg of the Cowboys' first-place 400-yard medley relay (3:25.20), also led off in the 200-yard freestyle relay that touched in 1:24.44 to finish second. The following day, he swam to first-place finishes in the 100 free (46.92) and 200 free (1:43.53), as Wyoming handed a 178-122 defeat to BYU. Gregory led off in the Pokes' first-place 400 medley relay (3:07.54), and swam anchor in the 200 medley relay (1:33.39).