March 21, 2009

Results

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A career that featured three NCAA Championship appearances, a berth in the U.S. Olympic Trials, four conference team titles, 11 individual A-10 wins, two A-10 Most Outstanding Performer awards and eight school records came to a close Saturday in College Station, Texas. Lauren Beaudreau's final swim as a Spider was a 26th-place finish in the 200 breast.

The senior from Lafayette, Calif., who will graduate as one of most decorated swimmers in both school and Atlantic 10 Conference history, raced to the finish in the 200 breast preliminaries in a time of 2:12.01. The time missed the finals cut by just two seconds and stood as the 26th-fastest of the 53-swimmer field.

"I don't know how I can explain the impact Lauren has had on our program," head coach Matt Barany said in his blog on The Collegian website. "I am most proud of the model she has created for future generations of Richmond swimmers and Richmond athletes. She swam all four years. She succeeded, failed, and succeeded again. She grew from an individual to a team-player. She leaves the sport at her fastest."

With that race, she wrapped up her third-career appearance in the National Championship with a remarkable three top-26 finishes in 2009. Beaudreau was 21st in the 200 IM Thursday, 17th in the 400 IM Friday and 26th in the 200 breast Saturday.

She was the lone swimmer from the A-10 at the 2009 Championship.

Beaudreau closed her career in storybook fashion. Her performance over the last four weeks has cemented her as one of the premier women's swimming student-athletes in the nation.

In February, she had one of the most dominating performances in A-10 Championship history by winning seven medals (six golds) and breaking five A-10 records in the process. Named the A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Performer for the second time in her career, she then repeated as an Academic All-Conference honoree thanks to her 3.34 GPA.

She swam three events this weekend leaves the Championship with the distinction as being one of the 20 fastest IMers in the nation.

Beaudreau gradutes from Richmond with her degree in criminal justice.