PROVO, Utah — BYU divers Mickey Strauss and Alexia Jackson were each awarded the 2023 MPSF Diver of the Year award, while Brad Prolo was given the 2023 MPSF Swimmer of the Year award. In addition, dive coach Tyce Routson was given 2023 MPSF Diving Coach of the Year award for both men's and women's dive.
Strauss was the only diver to qualify for the 2023 NCAA championships in the MPSF conference, finishing at the NCAA Zone E Championships ninth in the one-meter dive, fifth on three-meter and sixth on platform. He also would win the platform event at the MPSF Championships, finish second in the one-meter dive and third in the three-meter event. This is the third MPSF Diver of the Year award for Strauss.
In the MPSF Championships, Prolo placed first in the 100-yard breaststroke (52.67) and the 200-yard butterfly (1:44.25), while also finishing third in the 200-yard IM (1:46.11). Prolo finished with with 64.5 individual points at the MPSF Championships, helping the BYU men's swim and dive team to a first place finish. Following the championships, Prolo competed in a Last Chance Meet, qualifying for the NCAA Championships after swimming a BYU record 1:42.41 in the 200-yard butterfly. Prolo is the third straight Cougar to win the MPSF Swimmer of the Year award and seventh Cougar all-time to win the award.
Jackson became the second MPSF Diver of the Year awardee on the women's side, repeating last year's success from diver Kennedy Cribbs. The freshman won the three-meter and platform MPSF titles, and placed second in the one-meter dive, making her a first team all-conference honoree on all three individual boards and the highest scoring championship diver with 57 points. Jackson would also go on to place in the top-18 in each dive of the NCAA Zone E Championships, claiming the highest finish among MPSF divers in two of the three events.
Head dive coach Tyce Routson guided the men's swim and dive team to a first place finish and the women's team third place overall at the MPSF Championships, coaching Mickey Strauss and Alexia Jackson. This is Routson's fourth MPSF Men's Diving Coach of the Year award, and his second on the women's side.