Washington State native Lisa Bratton was born on May 5, 1996. The backstroke specialist is a member of the 2013-14 National Junior Team. She started swimming at age 8 and spent her age group career with the Tri-City Channel Cats in Richland, Washington.
Bratton, of Richland High School, won Washington high school state titles in her sophomore, junior and senior years. At the 2012 Washington State High School Championships she won the 200 yard IM (2:01.53) and 100 yard backstroke (54.85). She defended these titles in 2013 with a 1:59.44 in the 200 IM and a 54.04 in the 100 back. Bratton was also named Swimmer of the Year as a senior.
At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials Bratton made it to the semifinals of the 200 meter back, touching the wall in 2:16.53.
Bratton earned her spot on the 2013-14 National Junior Team with her stellar performance at the 2013 Speedo Junior National Championships. She placed third in the 200 meter back with a time of 2:11.54, the fifth fastest time in the country. Bratton also placed sixth in the 100 meter back with a time of 1:02.32.
Through three seasons at Texas A&M, Bratton is a seven time All-American and two-time SEC Champion.
College (Texas A&M)
2014-2015
At the SEC Championships Bratton finished first in the ‘B’ final of the 200 IM and 400 IM, and she also came in 15th in the 200 backstroke. She qualified for the NCAA Championships, earning NCAA Honorable Mention All-America honors. Bratton finished 11th in the 200 IM, 15th in the 400 IM and 11th in the 200 backstroke.
2015-2016
Bratton won the SEC title in both the 200 IM and the 200 backstroke, breaking her own school record in the 200 back to 1:50.64. She earned first team All-America honors in the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 back as well as honorable mention honors in the 400 medley relay. At the NCAA Championships, Bratton became just the second swimmer in A&M history to earn a spot in three finals at the same national meet, finishing fourth in the 200 back, tied for fifth in the 200 IM and seventh in the 400 IM. She then competed in the 100 back, 200 back, 200 IM and 400 IM at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, missing the Olympics by one spot, finishing third in the 200 back.
2016-2017
As a junior, Bratton set the A&M school record in the 400 medley relay (3:27.60 at the 2017 NCAA Championships). She also helped the Aggies to a program-best third-place finish at the NCAAs, posting honorable mention All-America finishes in the 200 back (16th) and 200 IM (14th). Bratton also swam the leadoff leg on the school’s NCAA runner-up and SEC champion 400 medley relay team. The junior posted NCAA A cuts in the 200 back and 200 IM and B cuts in the 100 back and 400 IM. At the SEC meet, Bratton finished fifth in the 200 IM, ninth in the 400 IM and fifth in the 200 back.
National/International Competition
2017 USA National Championships
Bratton finished seventh in the 200 back, 10th in the 100 back and 11th in the 200 IM at the 2017 Phillips 66 National Championships.
2018 National Championships
In Irvine at the 2018 Summer Nats, Bratton placed 4th in the 200 back (2:08.37), 8th in the 100 back (1:00.55), and 12th in the 200 IM (2:14.07). For her finish in the 200 back, she earned a spot on the 2019 World University Games team.
2018 Short Course World Championships
Bratton won the gold medal in the 200 backstroke with a career-best time of 2:00.71. She was the top qualifier in the 200 backstroke heats, posting a time of 2:01.00.
ISL – DC Trident
On June 11, 2019, Lisa Bratton was announced as a member of the DC Trident ISL team, headed by GM Kaitlin Sandeno.
2019 World University Games
Bratton competed in the 200 back in Nalopi, Italy. In a tight battle with her American teammate Asia Seidt, Bratton surged the last 50 and touched 1st in a time of 2:07.91, breaking the old meet record set by Seidt in the semi-finals.
Originally developed by Christina Wright.
