LONG ISLAND -- Seniors Anna Tutunnikova and Jennifer Tasker, and freshman Tamber Covington failed to advance to the finals in their respective events as the BYU women's swimming and diving team finished competition at the 2001 NCAA Championships Saturday.

On Thursday, Tutunnikova was the only Cougar in action, finishing 27th on the one-meter springboard event with a score of 236.45. She failed to advance to the finals as only the top-16 in each event advance to the finals and become All-Americans.

All three BYU athletes were in action Friday but none were able to advance to the finals. Tasker, an All-American last year in the 100 breaststroke placed 25th in the same event this year with a time of 1:03.72. Covington finished 28th in the 100 breast with a time of 1:03.91 while Tutunnikova finished 24th on the three-meter springboard, scoring 441.05 points.

Covington was the only Cougar to participate on Saturday as she finished 25th in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:17.06.

Seniors Jennifer Tasker and Anna Tutunnikova, and freshman Tamber Covington will represent the BYU women's swimming and diving team this weekend at the 2001 NCAA Championships in Long Island, N.Y.

Veteran and Newcomer

Tasker returns to the NCAA meet to participate in the 100-meter breaststroke for the second time and hopes to improve on last year's 29th-place team finish. At the 2000 NCAA Championships, Tasker finished 14th in the highly-competitive 100 breast with a time of 1:10.09 to earn second team All-America honors. She was the 2001 Mountain West Conference champion in the 100 breast with a time of 1:02.73. Tasker is the MWC and BYU record holder in the event. She won the 100 breast five times this season.

Covington will be making her first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships, swimming in the 100 and 200 breast. She will be no stranger to the pressure however, as she placed 12th in the 200 breast and 25th in the 100 breast at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Covington won the 2001 MWC Championship in the 200 breast with a time of 2:14.69. She has won the 200 breast five times and the 100 breast once this year. Covington was also named the MWC Swimmer of the Week Nov. 8.

Season With Purpose

Anna Tutunnikova made the most of her senior season, culminating with her first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships, where she will participate in the 1- and 3-meter springboard events. She won the 3-meter board at the 2001 MWC Championships with a score of 462.40. At the Zone E Qualifying Meet last weekend, she placed fourth on the 1-meter board, scoring 263.55 and 12th on the 3-meter board with a score of 439.25 to get her to nationals. Tutunnikova won the 3-meter board five different times this year and the 1-meter board four times. She was also the MWC Diver of the Week Jan. 17.

Results

Results from this weekend's championships will be available as they are available on BYU's official athletics Web page, www.byucougars.com.