PROVO, Utah — BYU swim and dive defeated Utah for the first time since 2012, closing out regular-season competition.
“Beating Utah’s women for the first time in 13 years means a lot, not just because of the rivalry, but because both teams push each other to be better,” head coach Tamber McAllister said. “Our women showed incredible grit, our men battled hard, and the competition brought out the best in everyone. We’re proud of this moment and even more excited for what’s ahead as we step into the Big 12.”
Five athletes, including Katya Hulse, Lucy Warnick, Tatum Cooley, Lily Flint and Sarah Eliason, set six new top 10 BYU performances, contributing to the Cougars’ victory. Additionally, four new Richards Building Pool (RBP) records were set Friday night.
Utah also set two new RBP records in the 50 freestyle and 1,000 freestyle.
Swimming
Emma Marusakova, Lucy Warnick, Sarah Eliason and Tatum Cooley opened the meet with a first-place finish in the 200 medley relay, setting a new RBP record courtesy of the BYU A relay team.
Haylee Tiffany claimed another RBP record, securing a first-place finish in the 200 freestyle at 1:47.89. Kara Martinson followed in second, hitting the wall at 1:49.50.
In the 100 backstroke, Emma Marusakova took first at 54.27 and was followed by senior Katya Hulse, who claimed second at 54.69. Hulse’s time marks the eighth-fastest finish in program history. Warnick then earned a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke at 1:01.47, the seventh-fastest time in BYU history.
The Cougars moved in on the Utah lead with a second-place finish from Cooley (22.59) and third-place finish from Lily Flint (22.90) in the 50 freestyle. Both times mark top 10 BYU performances, with Cooley placing second and Flint placing sixth all time.
In the following event, Cooley would once again finish in historic fashion, hitting the wall at 49.59 and earning first place in the 100 freestyle. Her time marks the fourth-fastest finish in BYU history. Tiffany and Flint also locked in second- and third-place finishes in the same event.
Hulse took first in the 200 backstroke at 2:00.48 and Warnick followed up with a first-place finish in the 200 breaststroke at 2:13.48 immediately following. Victoria Schreiber claimed another first-place finish in the 500 freestyle at 4:54.95, with Melissa Turlea following in second at 4:57.46.
Sarah Eliason then earned a first-place finish in the 100 butterfly at 53.74, the fourth-fastest time in BYU history. Concluding individual events, Warnick placed first in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:01.86.
The final event of the meet was the 400 freestyle relay, where Tiffany, Schreiber, Martinson and Cooley set a new RBP record at 3:20.29. Their first-place finish sealed the competition, giving the Cougars their first victory over the Utes in over a decade.
Diving
Brooklyn Goeckeritz led BYU in the 3m with a sixth-place finish at 281.85. She was followed by senior Sophia DeBergh in seventh at 272.10 and Betty Martin in ninth at 230.45.
Goeckeritz led the Cougars again in the 1m, taking fourth at 255.55. DeBergh earned fifth at 252.05 and Betty Martin claimed another ninth-place finish at 215.60.
Up Next
BYU competes in Greensboro, NC at the Big 12 Championship, Feb 24-28, as postseason competition begins.