OKLAHOMA CITY -- The BYU men's and women's swimming and diving teams won their third consecutive MWC Championship in Oklahoma City, OK. Saturday. The men scored a conference record 931.5 points while the women tallied 601 points, edging UNLV by 26 points.

The men's divers placed six of the top eight finalists in the platform dive. Junior Justin Wilcock won the event followed by senior Viraj Patil in second and Aaron Russell in third. Wilcock completed his hat trick by winning the 1- and 3-meter, and platform finals in this year's championship. Wilcock was honored as the MWC Diver of the Year and Keith Russell was named MWC Men's Diving Coach of the Year.

The Cougar swimmers sealed their third straight crown by placing five of the eight finishers in the men's 100 freestule finals. Jeff Mason placed second with his NCAA provisional qualifying time of 44.81. Tim Powers was named MWC Coach of the Year.

The 100 backstroke also placed five of the eight finals slots led by second place Christopher Johnson's time of 49.35. Johnson also placed second in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:49.09, followed by teammate Gary Tan in third. Sophomore Adam Ware placed second in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:02.95.

The women's team took the lead from UNLV and never relinquished it when they swept the first four spots in the the 200 breaststroke. Sophomore Tamber Covington won the field with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 2:17.09. Nikki Xanthos (formerly Tadlock) finished second with an NCAA provisional time as well. Teammates Amanda Grant and Jamie Lambert finished third and fourth respectively.

Captain Ashlee Rumfallow finished second in the 200 backstroke while teammate Nichole Burrows placed fifth.

For complete results, go the Mountain West Homepage at: www.themwc.com 
Women's Team Scores
Place   School    Points
1       BYU       601
2       UNLV      575
3       CSU       565
4       UTAH      462
5       AFA       444
6       UNM       400
7       SDSU      362
8       WYO       229
 
 
Men's Team Scores
Place   School    Points
1       BYU       931
2       UNLV      750
3       AFA       618
4       WYO       424
5       UTAH      297

PROVO, Utah - The BYU men's and women's swimming and diving teams will travel to the MWC Championships held in Oklahoma City, OK. for the third straight year Feb. 27-Mar. 2.

The Cougars are the two-time defending conference champion in the short history of the Mountain West Conference. The Cougars' men's and women's teams captured the 2000 and 2001 MWC Championships and enter this year's event in search of the school's third straight and 12th overall league crown.

Sydney Olympic participant (2000) Gary Tan, the MWC meet record holder in the 200 individual medley, leads the Cougar men's swimmers, while two-time All-American and conference record holder Aaron Russell is the frontrunner in the men's 1- and 3-meter diving events. Russell and Justin Wilcock, an All-American, Second Team Academic All-American and MWC Diver of the Year, should score big points in the diving events this year.

"I expect everyone to be ready to swim," said men's head swim coach Tim Powers. "We're excited to race and our conference is well-coached, top to bottom."

Two MWC record holders return to lead the Cougar women's team. Tamber Covington will look to defend her record time in the 200 breaststroke, while Ashlee Rumfallow leads the field in the 200 individual medley after posting a league record in last year's championships. Junior Heidi Leitz should also make a run to win the 50 and 100 free sprinter events.

"We expect our opponents to be competitive and swim their best times," said women's head coach Stan Crump. "Our goal is to defend our title and doing our best."

Results will be send each day at the end of the events. If you would like color photos via email, please request that from Joe Evans at (801) 378-8999 or via email at amr-3@byu.edu so that I may let the conference know of your request so they may be sent directly to your email as attachments.

2002 MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE
SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2002
7:00-10:00 a.m.	Warm up
10:00 a.m.		Women's One-meter Springboard
Prelims
2:00 p.m.		Men's One-meter Springboard
Prelims	
6:00 p.m.		200-yard Medley Relay
FINALS
			One-meter Springboard
FINALS	
			5-minute warm up period		
			800-yard Freestyle Relay
FINALS
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2002
7:00-11:00 a.m.	Warm up
11:00 a.m.		500-yard Freestyle
Prelims
			200-yard Individual Medley
Prelims
			50-yard Freestyle
Prelims
2:00 p.m.		Men's Three-meter Springboard
Prelims
6:00 p.m.		500-yard Freestyle
FINALS
			200-yard Individual Medley
FINALS
			50-yard Freestyle
FINALS
			Men's Three-meter Springboard
FINALS	
			5-minute warm up period		
			200-yard Freestyle Relay
FINALS
DIVING FINALS WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE FINAL
INDIVIDUAL EVENT OF THE EVENING.
FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2002
7:00-11:00 a.m.	Warm up
11:00 a.m.		400-yard Individual Medley
Prelims
			100-yard Butterfly
Prelims
			200-yard Freestyle
Prelims
			100-yard Breaststroke
Prelims
			100-yard Backstroke
Prelims
2:00 p.m.		Women's Three-meter Springboard				Prelims
6:00 p.m.		400-yard Individual Medley
FINALS
			100-yard Butterfly
FINALS
			200-yard Freestyle
FINALS
			100-yard Breaststroke
FINALS
			100-yard Backstroke
FINALS
			Women's Three-meter Springboard				FINALS
			5-minute warm up period
			400-yard Medley Relay
FINALS
SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2002
7:00-11:00 a.m.	Warm up
11:00 a.m.		200-yard Backstroke
Prelims
			100-yard Freestyle
Prelims
			200-yard Breaststroke
Prelims
			200-yard Butterfly
Prelims
			
			15-minute warm up period
			1650-yard Freestyle
Prelims
1:00 p.m.		Men's Platform
Prelims
3:00 p.m.		Women's Platform
Prelims
6:00 p.m.		1650-yard Freestyle
FINALS
			200-yard Backstroke
FINALS
			100-yard Freestyle
FINALS
			200-yard Breaststroke
FINALS
			200-yard Butterfly
FINALS
			Platform Diving
FINALS
			5-minute warm up period
			400-yard Freestyle Relay
FINALS
DIVING FINALS WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE FINAL
INDIVIDUAL EVENT OF THE EVENING