IRVING, Texas — Following standout performances at the FIU Sprint Invite on Jan. 5, BYU swimmers swept the Big 12 Conference’s weekly awards the league announced on Wednesday.
Luigi Riva and Tahis Ibáñez were awarded, respectively, Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Swimmer of the Week, while Joseph Pyon was named Men’s Newcomer of the Week and Annie Reichner Women’s Newcomer of the Week.
BYU is now tied with TCU for second in the conference with nine combined men’s and women’s weekly awards this season.
Riva won the first round and semifinal of the 50 free before finishing off the meet with a win at 20.55 in the final. The junior from Milan, Italy racked up 60 points for the meet after clocking 45.30 to win the 100 free as well. Riva follows Jordan Tiffany as the BYU’s second Big 12 Men’s Swimmer of the Week.
Ibáñez entered the meet as the No. 13-seed in the women’s 50 fly with an entry time of 26.79. By meet’s end, Ibáñez had improved her time through each round of competition and defeated Florida International’s Oumy Diop in the final with a personal best 25.66. The sophomore from Rexburg, Idaho claimed the Cougars’ second Big 12 Women’s Swimmer of the Week award after Emma Marusakova did so on Oct. 18.
A freshman from Gainesville, Florida, Pyon made the most of his home state return with a run to the 50 fly semifinal and win in the 100 fly. Pyon recorded a personal best 21.83 in the opening round of the 50 fly then a winning 50.21 in the 100 fly. With Pyon’s recognition, the Cougars have now garnered three Big 12 Men’s Newcomer of the Week awards.
Reichner delivered the BYU women’s third win of the meet in the 50 back. After finishing second in the first three rounds, Reichner sliced 0.4 seconds off her quarterfinal time to win the event at 26.83, narrowly edging FIU’s Diana Santamaria at 26.84. Reichner is the first BYU women’s swimmer to win Big 12 Women’s Newcomer of the Week.
BYU swimming continues its season in a tri-meet with Denver and Wyoming in Denver, Colorado on Jan. 12-13.