Cougars Compete for Deseret First Duel

PROVO, Utah – For the last home meet of the season, the BYU swim and dive team will face-off with rival Utah on Friday, the 27th,  at 6 p.m. MT in the Richards Building Pool.

“I expect this to be an exciting meet with a lot of really close races,” BYU head coach Tim Powers said. “Utah has been swimming well and we’ve posted similar times against other teams so it will be a tight meet. I’m excited to have my last meet be against Utah because they were actually my first meet when I came here 37 years ago.”

Last season, both the men and women’s team defeated Utah in the Ute Natatorium, aiding to the overall win of the Deseret First Duel. This year, the duel’s score is currently 19-10 with BYU in the lead.

The team looks to achieve a victory at home and add six points to the duel score. As the last home meet, the team's seniors will be honored before the meet begins. The team will graduate a total of 15 athelets, five from the men's team and 10 from the women's.This meet also marks the last meet for head coach Tim Powers since announcing his retirement.

“This will definitely be an emotional meet for Tim as well as the rest of us,” associate head coach Stan Crump said. “It’s going to be a close meet for both men and women so our focus will definitely be on beating Utah, especially because Tim already has such an outstanding record against Utah. I feel privileged to have had him as a mentor and friend.”