#5 Brittney Kuras Has Sophomore Season To Remember
7/5/2012 12:00:00 AM | Swimming and Diving
Over the course of the next six weeks we will be counting down the Top 12 stories of the 2011-12 year. Each Monday and Thursday we will reveal a new story, until we reach the top moment, which will be unveiled in mid July.
Sophomore swimmer Brittney Kuras had one of the greatest season's in school history this past year, dominating her competition along the way. This year alone, Kuras set school records in the 100m Freestyle, 200m Freestyle, 200m IM and was part of four school-record breaking relay teams.
Kuras became the first UB women's swimmer to win three individual events at the MAC Championship meet since 2005 as she was named the MAC's Outstanding Swimmer of the Year. On the final day, Kuras claimed the 100-yard freestyle in a school and MAC meet record time of 48.90. Kuras claimed the 200-yard freestyle in 1:47.66, setting UB and Ocasek Natatorium records, on day two. During the opening night, she won the 200-yard individual medley in a UB and pool record time of 1:59.84 as she held off two-time defending MAC champion Carly Harter of Toledo by .04 seconds.
Her performance at the conference meet earned her an invitation to the NCAA National Championships, the first swimmer in school history to be invited. Kuras swam in the three events that she holds the school record in at the Championships. In both the 200 Freestyle and 200 IM, Kuras' school records came at the NCAA Championships.
The sophomore then capped off her year by swimming in four events at the U.S. Olympic Trials in late June. Kuras had three performances where she finished in the Top 35, including the 50m where she finished 28th with a time of 25.79. Kuras finished in 29th place with a swim of 56.07 in the 100m Free and she finished 34th in the 200m Free at 2:01.59. Kuras also competed in the 200m IM where she finished 53rd at 2:18.99.
