Colorado State University Athletics
CSU freshman swimmer prepares for NCAA championships
3/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming & Diving
March 17, 2009
By Sarah Mast
Athletic Media Relations
FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Freshman swimmer Breann Fuller will represent CSU at the NCAA championships this week, swimming in both the 100 and 200 Backstroke events.
The event will take place Thursday through Saturday at Texas A&M University.
Fuller is the first CSU swimmer to compete at the NCAA championships since 2004, when Kristen Schneider also competed in the backstroke events.
Fuller broke Schneider's school records in both the 100 Backstroke (52.95 seconds) and 200 Backstroke (1:56.74) at the MWC championships in February. Schneider's records, 54.50 (100 Backstroke) and 1:58.65 (200 Backstroke) held for over five years.
"Now this is just icing on the cake for Breann," said Head Coach John Mattos. "She's a freshman so we'll see how she does. There's no doubt that it's really going to be a lot of fun."
Fuller will be in one of the final three heats of the 100 Backstroke. Mattos said their goal is for her to win or place in the top three of the heat.
"If she does that with a good time," Mattos said, "she has a good chance of coming back at night."
Mattos said their goals for the 200 Backstroke are to simply swim smart, hit all turns and try to win the heat, despite the fact she will not be in one of the final three heats in the event.
"I know exactly how to prepare her for this," Mattos said. "She is just fine in the water right now. We need to keep her muscles supple. Now it's all about going out there and having fun."
Fuller will kick off the NCAA championships with the 100 Backstroke on Friday and will wrap up with the 200 Backstroke on Saturday at College Station, Texas.