Breunig Set For NCAA Championships

AMES, Iowa ? Lauren Breunig will compete as a Cyclone for the last time this weekend in Minneapolis, Minn. The senior native of Mazomanie, Wis., will be swimming in the 100 free, 200 free and 200 IM at the 2007 NCAA Championships Thursday through Saturday at the Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Breunig is making her second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships. A year ago in Athens, Ga., Breunig placed 28^th in the 200 free, 41^st in the 100 free and 47^th in the 200 IM.

Previous experience is something head coach Duane Sorenson feels will be an advantage for Breunig.

“We have been working on all the little things like stroke technique and turns to get more speed,” said Sorenson. “But she has been here and has a better understanding of what the meet is all about and her higher seed has given her confidence.”

In her senior campaign, Breunig recorded 22 victories, 18 of which were individual titles.

Breunig has four victories in the 200 IM, which she will be competing in on Thursday. She also set the school record in the 200 IM at the Big 12 Championships with a time of 2:00.31, which was good enough for a fourth place finish.

Breunig also holds the school record in the 200 free, which is scheduled for Friday. At the Big 12 Championships, she touched the wall in fourth with a season-best time of 1:48.17. Breunig has captured seven wins in the 200 free on the year.

On Saturday, Breunig will be competing in the 100 free for the last time as a Cyclone. She set the school record less than a month ago at the Big 12 Championships. Breunig finished fourth with a time of 49.79. Breunig has taken first place in the 100 free five times this season.

“Last year she was happy to qualify and this year she has already qualified, so now she wants to go prove herself,” said Sorenson.

Results will be available on cyclones.com.