BYU Relays (vs Utah)
- Friday, September 21st
- Provo, Utah
- Short Course Yards
- Results
PRESS RELEASE – Utah:
PROVO, Utah – Utah Swimming and Diving geared up for the regular season with a convincing display at the BYU Relays this evening. The Utes captured 12 of 15 events in their only exhibition meet.
“It was a great way for us to kick off the season,” head coach Joe Dykstra said. “We had some good performances for this time of year that we are excited to build on.”
In her first collegiate action, freshman Aryanna Fernandes was part of four winning relays this evening. She started the evening teaming with Gillian St. John and classmate Audrey Reimer to win the 3×50 fly in 1:16.52.
She then anchored the 400 free relay unit of Ianire Casarin, Rebecca Zeiger and St. John (3:28.59) before swimming in the middle of the victorious mixed 200 medley of Daniel McArthur, Darby Wayner and Rodolfo Moreira (1:36.46). Fernandes closed the night with Wayner, Zeiger and Jordan Anderson in the 400 IM relay (3:55.16)
Genny Robertson and Mariah Gassaway started and closed the successful 3×50 breast relay group with Wayner swimming the middle lap. St. John, Reimer, Casarin and Sarah Lott topped the 500 crescendo relay in 4:29.51
Back on the men’s side, McArthur jumped back in the pool and swam lead off for two more winning relays. He teamed with Austin Phillips and David Fridlander in the 3×50 back (1:08.00) and was then paired with Phillips, Felix Chiun and Ethan Dillard in the 400 IM relay (3:27.66)
Dillard and Chiun were constants for Utah in the winning formula this evening. Chiun swam lead in the 400 free relay with Moreira, newcomer Luke Yost and Rahiti De Vos clocking in at 3:02.03. He then teamed with Clay Stoddard, Phillips and De Vos to take the 500 crescendo relay in 4:01.86.
Dillard, Andrew Britton and Harrison Wayner captured the 3×50 breast relay in 1:17.94 and Stoddard swam with Colten Montgomery and Tony Puertas in the 3×50 fly (1:06.96)
Utah’s 2018-19 regular season begins with consecutive meets at Stanford and California, Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct. 9-10. The first home event is Thursday, Oct. 11 with the men facing Colorado Mesa.
PRESS RELEASE – BYU:
PROVO, UT – The University of Utah won 12 out of the 15 relay races against BYU Friday night in a non-scoring meet that helped kick off the fall season.
“It is always a fun meet to have,” said BYU head coach John Brooks. “I’m super proud of our swimmers. In some regards we have some work to do and in others we look better than we anticipated. For the most part, we are looking good and looking forward to the rest of the season.”
In the first meet of the fall, the Cougars fought back and won the third event of the night in the women’s 3×50-yard back relay. Freshman swimmers Brynn Sproul and Makayla Cazier stood out while racing in their first meet against a Division I team by helping Haley Bertoldo Harden take first in the 3×50-yard back relay.
Payton Sorenson, Connor Stirling, Tiare Coker and Gwen Gustafson were able to finish the night strong by taking first place in the mixed 200-yard free relay. Gustafson, a freshman, brought some excitement as she out-touched a Utah swimmer.
The members of the dive team not only competed in their own events but also put together a mixed 200-yard relay. Nathan Gonzalez led the Cougars off strong with Morgan Cooper and Morgan Mellow keeping ahead and Adia London finishing the divers off in first place. BYU divers Kimble Mahler, Ryan Evans, Kaylie Jackson and Kaela Call also placed before the Utes, taking second.
The BYU swimmers and divers will travel to Colorado for the Intermountain Shootout invitational scheduled for Oct. 5-6 at the El Pomar Natatorium. More information can be found on the BYU swimming and diving schedule page.