BYU Women Travel to CSU

PROVO -- The BYU women's swim team will be back in action Friday night as they travel to Ft. Collins, Colo., to face the Rams of Colorado State at 6:00 p.m. (MDT).

The Cougars are coming off a tough meet against Oregon State on Saturday that saw the Beavers defeat BYU by a score of 131-106.

CSU has not competed since Dec. 16, but boasts a 5-2 record and is second in the Mountain West Conference standings with a 3-1 record verses conference schools.

BYU (2-5, 1-3) has been hampered by injuries the entire season, but is ready to make a move as they prepare for the conference championships in February.áá

"The girls are itching for a win," said women's head coach Stan Crump. "Last year CSU was a little more prepared than we were, I hope this time the team (BYU) is ready to race."

For most of the season the Cougars have had to deal with unexpected injuries and surgeries that have slowed down the team in dual meet competitions, but with the return of senior Cortnee Adams, and juniors Nikki Xanthos, Amy McClellan and Tamber Covington, the team is deeper and stronger.

The No. 22 BYU men's team is off this week as they prepare to face Air Force at home in a dual meet competition on Jan. 24, at 6:00 p.m. (MDT).

The Last Competition

The Cougars fell to Oregon State at home on Saturday, Jan. 11, by a score of 131-106. Despite lossing the meet, the Cougars swam evenly with the Beavers for most of the competition. BYU started out the meet by taking the second and third place spots in the 200-medley relay. BYU failed to place in the 1000 free, but followed that up by claiming the second and third-place finishes in the 200 free. In her first meet this season, senior Cortnee Adams took the 50 and 100 free events with scores of 23.81 and 52.03 respectively. Adams bested the competition by more than a full second in each event.

Coach's Quotes

"Our plan all year has been to get aerobically fit and then sprint to get ready for fast swims at conference. We train to have speed at the end of the season, that is the opposite of what many teams do and that is why we will drop a few dual meets but then catch people at conference."

"We have found that it is a better way to race our team. It is to build on depth, and that is what will usually win championships."

Returning Swimmers

Senior Cortnee Adams -- See Swimmer To Watch

Juniors Tamber Covington, Amy McClellan, and Nikki Xanthos -- Covington returned from knee surgery that she underwent in November and placed second in the 400 IM, and the 200 breast. McClellan competed for the first time in nearly one-and-a-half years and placed fourth in both the 1000 free and the 200 back. Xanthos has decided not to redshirt this season after missing most of the year due to carbon monoxide poisoning her and her husband suffered early in the year. She swam exhibition against the Beavers, but will travel with the team to CSU to compete.

Swimmer To Watch

All-American Cortnee Adams -- Adams swam in her first meet of the season against Oregon State and the All-American captured the only first place finishes for the Cougars in the 50 and 100 freestyle. She also swam the anchor leg of the 200-yard medley relay