Feb. 8, 2006

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - BYU's John Kendrick and Utah's Sterling Richards have been named the Mountain West Conference Men's Swimmer and Diver of the Week, respectively. Kendrick earns his first career honor. Meanwhile, Richards picks up his sixth weekly award this year and his ninth career accolade.

Kendrick, a freshman from Plano, Texas, was instrumental in BYU's 134-109 dual meet win over Utah last week. Kendrick won both the 1,000-yard freestyle in 9:36.35 and the 500-yard freestyle in 4:38.16 to help secure the MWC regular-season crown for the Cougars. For the season, he holds down the No. 3 spot in both events in the MWC.

Richards, a senior from Salt Lake City, Utah, won both diving events in a dual meet against BYU. Richards set a new Utah school record in the 1-meter diving event after recording 388.95 points, breaking the record he set previously this year. His score in the 1-meter was 104.85 points more than the second- place finisher. In the 3-meter, Richards scored 358.58 points, 57 points more than second place. Richards holds the top times in the conference on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards.