May 14, 2003

MILWAUKEE - Breanna Ballweg of Sauk Prairie, Wis., has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in swimming and diving for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, head coach Dave Clark announced today.

Ballweg was a member of the 2002 Wisconsin State Division 2 Championship team at Sauk Prairie last November. She contributed by finishing sixth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in the 200 individual medley at the state championships, in addition to swimming on the 200 medley relay team that finished first and the 400 freestyle relay team that was third at the state meet. As a junior, she placed ninth in the 100 butterfly and 11th in the 200 individual medley, while also swimming on the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams that finished fourth and third, respectively. In all, she had three individual top ten finishes and seven relay team finishes during her four-year career at Sauk Prairie.

"Breanna is a great student-athlete, and was a team leader on her state championship team last season," Clark said. "Breanna has 11 letters competing in swimming, basketball and soccer. With a concentration on swimming, she should be able to progress well and make a real impact in our program."

Ballweg brings the total number of recruits for the 2003 season to nine. Also joining the women's team next fall will be Emily Duesler, Kathryn Green, Susan Harmsen and Heather Sawatzki, each of whom signed during the early signing period in November, and Lindsay Caldwell, Bridget Fargen, Jackie Schani and Crystal Szymanski, who signed earlier this spring.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's swimming and diving team finished third at the Horizon League Championships, held on Feb. 26-Mar. 1 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Panthers, winners of the 2001 Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) title, also excel in the classroom, having been named Academic All-America as a team for 28 consecutive semesters by the Collegiate Swim Coaches Association of America.