Swimmers Finish Strong at Speedo Cup

LONG BEACH -- The 17th-ranked BYU men's swimming team finished in second-place while the women finished seventh after the three day Speedo Cup competition in Long Beach, Calif.

The men were led by senior All-American Arunas Savickas, who dominated the pool all three days. Savickas won the 100, 200 and 500 free events, while also leading the 200 medley and the 400 free relay teams to first-place finishes. His time of 4:21.39 in the 500 free is a new BYU record, breaking his own mark of 4:22.76 set last season. In addition, Savickas helped the 200 free, 400 medley and 800 free relay teams to runner-up finishes.

Also scoring big for BYU was sophomore Gary Tan, who was a runner-up in the 100 back and a third-place finisher in the 200 IM, as well as finishing fourth in the 200 back. Tan also swam on the winning 200 medley and 400 free relay teams. Mike Mullen, Jeff Mason and Nick Tobler also had a good weekend for the Cougars. Mullen finished third in the 50 free and swam on the winning 200 medley and 400 free relay teams. Mason finished fourth in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 free while also swimming on the first-place 400 free relay team. Tobler had a fourth-place finish in the 100 breast and a fifth-place finish in the 200 breast, and swam on the winning 200 medley relay team. BYU racked up 1023 points, good for second-place behind No. 6 USC.

The women also did well, securing seventh-place with a score of 573.50. No. 8 USC also won the women's event. Jennifer Tasker had a good competition for the Cougars, placing fifth in the 100 breast while freshman Tamber Covington finished fifth in the 200 breast. BYU benefited from fifth-place finishes by the 200 free, the 200 medley and the 400 medley relay teams.

The men's and women's swimming and diving teams will resume competition following the holiday break on Jan. 5, 2001, when they will face the University of Washington at 1 p.m. in the Richards Building Pool.