First-year swimmer Alex Zuelke (Trempealeau, Wis.) has been nothing short of impressive in her first collegiate season at St. Catherine University. And before heading into the holiday break, Zuelke capped off 2013 in the biggest way possible when she broke the school record in the 50 Freestyle at the St. Cloud State University Mid-Season Invite this weekend in Rochester, Minn. For her efforts, Zuelke has been named the Wildcat Athlete of the Week.Â
Zuelke turned in two season-best swims in the prelims Saturday to qualify for the finals in both the 50 Freestyle and the 100 Breaststroke. With her time of 24.40 in the 50 Freestyle in the finals, Zuelke broke Sarah Vrudny's record from 2011 by .10 seconds. She also turned in the top individual finish of the meet in that same event with a fifth-place finish among a talented field of Division II and III swimmers.Â
In the prelims of the 100 Breaststroke, Zuelke was just off her career-best time clocking in at 1:06.81 which was also just off the 21-year old school record set by Anna Pringle. In the finals, Zuelke swam to an eighth-place finish. Her finishing time still remains the best in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) this year and is second-best in program history.
On Sunday, Zuelke continued her strong performances turning in career-best swims in the 100 Freestyle and 200 Breaststroke. She dropped nearly a second from her previous personal-best with a clocking of 54.40 in the 100 Freestyle to finish 13th in the finals. Her time is now the third fastest in school history. In the 200 Breaststroke, Zuelke clocked in a career-best time of 2:31.34 to finish 10th in the finals. Her time is now the sixth-fastest in school history.
Zuelke and the Wildcats have completed competition for the 2013 portion of the season, but travel to Islamorada, Fla., Jan. 4-12 for their annual winter training trip before returning to compete at the Grinnell College Invite Jan. 17-18 in Grinnell, Iowa.Â
