PROVO, Utah – Several career- and season-high scores rewarded BYU with first place overall in the two-day Air Force Invitational on Feb. 1-2.
“I’m very proud of the progress the men and women are building through their consistency and scores,” BYU head diving coach Tyce Rouston said. “We had the majority of both teams make finals and improve their scores. With the many personal and season bests, I am very optimistic for our conference meet which always brings our game to a new level.”
During the two-day invitational, BYU divers earned impressive scores all around and Kaela Call received a zone cut in the platform event.
On the first day of the invitational, sophomore Morgan Cooper recorded a career high in the men’s 3-meter preliminaries with a score of 349.65. Ryan Evans earned a season high in the preliminaries as well with a score of 270.40.
Cooper went on to take third in the finals with a score of 340.90. Nathan Gonzales followed in fifth with a score of 306.05, while teammate Kimble Mahler placed seventh at 299.75, posting a season-high score.
For the women’s 3-meter final event, Kennedy Cribbs led the Cougars with a score of 275.55. Adia London and Morgan Paul followed with scores of 253.65 and 239.35, respectively.
During day two of the competition, the divers competed in the platform event. In the preliminaries, Gonzales and Evans earned season-high scores of 255.85 and 223.95, respectively.
In the finals, Mahler secured third place with a score of 282.85. Cooper followed in third, recording a career-high score of 273.85. Gonzales also went on to place fifth at 250.95, while Bryce Farabee posted a season-high with a score of 222.75.
Morgan Mellow shined in the platform preliminaries for the women coming in sixth with a season high of 209.70. Call took second in the finals and received a zone cut with a score of 235.30. London also recorded a career-high score of 218.90.
The Cougars will take two weeks off as they prepare for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship. The swimmers will be in La Mirada, California, on Feb. 20-23 while the divers will be in Mission Viejo, California, on Feb. 21-23.