ISU to Compete in Big 12 Championships

AMES, Iowa - The Iowa State swimming and diving team (5-4, 0-3) looks to continue an impressive season at the Big 12 Championships at the Student Recreation Center Natatorium in College Station, Texas, Feb. 14-17, a year after graduating eight seniors.

Iowa State, under the command of 10^th year head coach Duane Sorenson, started the season winning their first five dual meets, including an noteworthy victory over intrastate rival Northern Iowa, before falling in their final four.

The Cyclones will look to senior Lauren Breunig to lead the way. She has captured 22 victories on the year and was an NCAA Championship qualifier a year ago. Breunig, a native of Mazomanie, Wis., is one of just three seniors on this relatively young Cyclone squad.

The Cyclones, whose last competition came on January 27, have clear goals for the Big 12 Championships and have spent the last two and a half weeks dedicating their time towards training for the competition.

“Practices have been going really well,” Sorenson said. “We are extremely happy with the way our women are preparing and training for the Big 12 Championships.

“Our number one goal is that everyone swims a lifetime best. By having everyone get as close to their lifetime best as they can, the placing will take care of itself.”

The divers are led by head diving coach Jeff Warrick, who is in his ninth season with the Iowa State swimming and diving program.

The divers will look to the trio of Tien Tran, Haley Haynes and Kali Fryklund for strong performances.

Tran, a freshman from Greenwood, Ind., captured nine victories in her first year as a Cyclone and was named Big 12 diver of the week for her performance at the Minnesota Invite.

Haynes, a sophomore native of The Woodlands, Texas, has won three events on the year despite battling injury for much of the second half of the season.

Fryklund has placed in the top five 12 times on the year, with her best performance coming against intrastate rival Northern Iowa when she placed second in the 3-meter event.

“Our goal is to be in the top three, which will really be a challenge for us,” Warrick said. “That is what we are really looking at and we are capable of doing that, it is just a matter of how it all plays out.

“I feel we have a good shot of getting in the top-three. But we are going to have to dive well; there is no question about that. Nothing is going to be given to us.”

Live coverage of the meet will be available on Texas A&M's website, AggieAthletics.com.

A two-hour tape-delayed special on the Men's and Women's Big 12 Championships will also be available on FSN.

The 2006-07 swimming and diving season will come to a close with the NCAA Zone 5 Diving Qualifications in Austin, Texas, on March 2-4 and the NCAA Championships on March 8-10 in Minneapolis, Minn.

ISU to Compete in Big 12 Championships

Players Mentioned

Lauren Breunig

Lauren Breunig

Kali Fryklund

Kali Fryklund

Haley Haynes

Haley Haynes

Tien Tran

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ISU to Compete in Big 12 Championships

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Players Mentioned

Lauren Breunig

Lauren Breunig

Kali Fryklund

Kali Fryklund

Haley Haynes

Haley Haynes

Tien Tran

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