GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The BYU men’s swim and dive team took first place in its first official meet of the 2025–26 season.
"We’re off to an electric start this season, and today’s meet was a powerful reflection of the work our athletes have put in," head coach Tamber McAllister said. "From top-to-bottom, we saw courageous racing and smart execution. The highlight—BYU’s first-ever 18 split in the 50 free—marks a new chapter in our program’s history. It’s a testament to the speed, belief, and legacy we’re building together."
The team saw several top-10 all-time program performances and standout finishes from newcomers across the meet.
Swimming
Saturday’s competition opened with the 200-yard medley relay, where the BYU A team took first and second place. Jack Burke, Peter Etzold, Tanner Edwards and Max Kleinman finished with a time of 1:27.37, earning them the top spot. Kleinman made history, becoming the first BYU swimmer to achieve an 18 split on the 50 free as the anchor.
Tanner Nelson kicked off the individual events with a victory in the 500-yard freestyle, hitting the wall at 4:27.04. The Cougars also claimed second and third place, with Easton Mousser and Darwin Anderson finishing seconds later.
The men’s 50-yard butterfly was highlighted by meet standout Kleinman, who took first in the event with a time of 20.96—the second-fastest finish in program history. Kleinman also moved from sixth to fifth on BYU’s all-time list in the men’s 100-yard butterfly (46.80). BYU also saw first-place finishes from Joshua Reed of Newcastle, Australia, Will Bonnett, Bryce Broadhead and Etzold.
The meet concluded with the 400-yard freestyle relay, where BYU’s A team claimed first place with a time of 2:54.85. The winning squad featured Nelson, Payton Plumb, Reed and Kleinman.
Diving
The BYU men’s diving team saw a first-place victory from sophomore Martí Llop. Llop, a native of Barcelona, Spain, finished the competition with a final score of 467.40.
Freshman divers Ashton Sparks and Elijah Baker also competed, finishing with scores of 374.55 (Sparks) and 326.18 (Baker).
Up Next
BYU swim and dive will travel to Las Vegas to face the UNLV Rebels on Friday, Nov. 7. Live results will be available on Meet Mobile, with streaming information to be announced.