Entering the 2015 Big Ten Championships, the Michigan State Spartans knew that they would soon lose one of the best butterfly/IMers in program history, Hannah Pugh, to graduation, and it would not be an easy loss to replace. At the time, Pugh, who was also the subject of our Big Ten Senior Spotlight for the Spartans last season, was the school record holder in the 400 IM (4:19.88) and also held the second-fastest 200 butterfly time in school history (2:00.43). However, the Spartans would find a new leader in those events in the form of Elizabeth Brown, and with just one week left until the 2016 Big Ten Championships kick off, all eyes will be on the New Zealand product to lead the Spartans into battle in Ann Arbor.
Brown, who hails from Ashburton, NZ, arrived in East Lansing as an extremely promising butterfly recruit with strong performances in the club swimming arena already lining her resume. She had competed at the 2008 New Zealand Olympic Trials at just the age of 14 and emerged third overall in the 200 fly (2:20.51), and she would also go on to garner multiple honors and accolades in age group swimming within the Mid-Canterbury area. After attending Ashburton College for secondary education and performing exceptionally well there, Brown headed to the States to kick off her NCAA career with the Spartans in East Lansing.
As a freshman, Brown used the entirety of the season to become adjusted to short course swimming, an often challenging task for most foreign athletes competing at the NCAA level. Given the circumstances, Elizabeth performed admirably well at her first Championship meet, recording results of 82nd in the 200 IM (2:07.88), 41st in the 100 fly (56.47), and 29th in the 200 fly (2:03.31). Both of her butterfly swims immediately landed her on MSU’s all-time top 10 list, and this provided a very promising outlook for Brown’s future with the Spartans.
Elizabeth really started to come into her own as a sophomore, and her performances at the Conference Championships perfectly exemplified the leaps and bounds she had made in the course of just one year. Brown would secure second swims in all of her races at Big Tens, and she walked away from the Championships with final placings of 19th in the 200 IM (2:02.56), 21st in the 400 IM (4:20.31), and 20th in the 200 fly (2:01.44). Notably, Brown actually broke a six-year-old MSU school record in the 400 IM previously held by Heather Kiluk (4:20.95) only to see it broken in the very next heat by her teammate, Hannah Pugh (4:19.88).
As a junior, Elizabeth only continued to shine during Championship season, and she also continued to shatter records along the way. Though she swam slightly slower in the 200 IM (2:03.43, 44th), she really delivered in the 400 IM and 200 fly with new school records to her name. Her time in the 400 IM (4:17.50) shattered the standard set just the year before by her old teammate, Pugh, by nearly 2.5 seconds, and her 200 butterfly (1:59.55) clipped over a half-second off a six-year-old record held by Becca Ebner (2:00.18).
The Spartans need not worry about having a reliable leader when the action kicks off next Tuesday. Brown has already put up sterling times for herself this season, with her 200 IM (2:04.65) and 400 IM (4:19.99) from the Northwestern TYR Invitational in November both being faster than her seed times from Big Tens last year. Additionally, she put up lifetime bests in the 200 LCM Fly (2:16.62) and 400 LCM IM (4:55.32) at the 2015 AT&T Winter Nationals, so it is safe to assume she will be sharp across the board next week. The Spartans have seven seniors leading the way for them in the pool, and it would surprise no one if we saw this talented senior from Ashburton scoring in multiple events for the White and Green.
Best Times (SCY/LCM):
100 Fly: 55.82/1:02.43
200 Fly: 1:59.55*/2:16.62
200 IM: 2:02.56
400 IM: 4:17.50*/4:55.32
*Denotes school record
School Major/Degree: Child Development
Favorite Event: 200 Fly or 400IM
Favorite Hobby: Photography
Favorite Movie: Sisters
Person You’d Like to Meet Growing Up: Taylor Swift
Favorite Food/ Pre-Race Meal: Mac N’ Cheese
At what age did you become involved with swimming? How did you get into it?
I became involved with competitive swimming when I was just 8 years old. My sisters were always going to meets so I decided that I wanted to as well. My parents quickly signed me up and I’ve been swimming ever since.
What is your favorite collegiate swimming memory and why?
It’s so hard to pick just one memory as I have had such a memorable experience all round. But I guess some of my favorite memories occurred after our victories at dual meets. Singing the fight song and feeling a part of something so special was such an awesome experience, one I hope I’ll never forget!
At last year’s Big Ten Championships, you became the first woman in program history to break 2:00 in the 200 fly, going a 1:59.55 to take 19th overall. Additionally, you set a new school record in the 400 IM, breaking the previous record held by Hannah Pugh, the subject of our Senior Spotlight feature last year for the Spartans. Can you talk a little bit about what it was like to set those records, and how did those swims set you up for your final year at MSU?
It was honestly a surreal feeling breaking the varsity records in both the 200 fly and 400 IM. Ever since I arrived in the USA back in 2012 this has been something I have been trying to achieve, so to actually do it was extremely satisfying. In terms of setting me up for my senior year, I felt a new sense of pride and confidence which has helped me immensely this season. While like all swimmers I have had my ups and downs, knowing what I can achieve and striving to better myself has been a big motivator throughout the past few months.
Before you arrived in East Lansing, you were a very successful swimmer in New Zealand, with a notable 3rd place finish at the 2008 Olympic Trials in the 200 fly at just 14 years old. Can you describe what it was like for you to transition from club swimming in New Zealand to a collegiate environment here in the United States? Was the transition difficult or relatively easy for you?
The transition from swimming in New Zealand to swimming in a collegiate environment was both difficult yet so exciting. First of all I have to mention just how honored I am to be a part of something so much bigger than myself, the Spartan family. When I arrived back in 2012 I really had no idea what to expect, but the team was so welcoming and made me feel at home right from the beginning. The swimming however took a lot longer to get used to.
At home I was a long course specialist; it was where I was most comfortable and where I had been most successful. Diving into the 25 yard pool for the first time was a complete shock to the system. My walls were slow, my splits were off, and my times were not where I thought they would be. I worked really hard in practice and as time went on I finally got the hang of short course yards. One thing that I loved about the transition was the atmosphere at meets, it felt more like a team sport than it did at home and this is something that really helped me in my success at Michigan State.
Instead of just racing for myself I was racing for my teammates. Another difference was the schedule of meets. At home meets ran over an entire weekend and in general were set up so each race had heats and finals. Here on the other hand the majority of meets are dual meets which happen in one day, and are all timed finals. While this was a fairly easy adjustment, it was still very different to what I had been doing for the past 10 years.
What/who do you think has been the single most important catalyst to your swimming career?
My older sisters Amanda and Rachel were probably the most important catalysts in my swimming career. I grew up going to their swim meets, and watching their practices. As soon as I was old enough, I joined the swim team because I wanted to be just like my big sisters. I can honestly say they are the reason I fell in love with swimming in the first place and the reason I am where I am today. They are constantly supporting and encouraging me, alongside the rest of my family, and I am so grateful for everything they do.
Do you have any plans/commitments following the completion of your collegiate career?
Following the completion of my collegiate career, I plan to continue training throughout the spring and attend the Canadian Olympic Trials from April 5th-10th. I am excited to see what I can do there as I will be back in my element, long course swimming! Aside from that, I am excited to graduate this summer and pursue my career in Child Life Specialty.
What should we look forward to from Michigan State as a whole at this year’s Big Ten Championships?
I am so excited to see what Michigan State can do at the Big Ten Championships this year. With the top 24 being scored this year I expect the Spartans will be represented in scoring finals far more than we have been in the past. I can also see a large number of university records being broken by multiple individuals and relays over the course of the week. Everyone has worked so hard and I am so proud of every single one of my Spartan ladies.
