Free/Back Sprinter Cole Bruns Will Transfer to SMU for 2021-22

Cole Bruns from San Antonio, Texas has announced his transfer to Southern Methodist University, coming home to Texas after two years at Auburn.

“First and foremost, War Damn Eagle till the day I die. That never changes. I will forever embody the values of an Auburn Man, and will never forget the invaluable memories and connections I have made here. 🐅🦅
That being said, I am extremely excited to announce I will be returning to swimming at SMU! Pony Up boys, lets get to damn work.🐎”

Bruns graduated from New Braunfels High School in 2019 and headed to Auburn. As a freshman, he competed at 2020 SEC Championships in the 50 free (20.18/39th), 100 free (43.92/35th) and 100 back (49.61/34th) and swam lifetime-best times in the 50 and 100 free. He also notched PBs in the 200 free and 50/100 back while at Auburn. Bruns began the 2020-21 season with the Tigers but didn’t compete after the Auburn/Florida dual meet.

Best SCY times:

• 50 free – 20.18
• 100 free – 43.92
• 200 free – 1:42.75
• 50 back – 23.00
• 100 back – 48.81

SMU beat Cincinnati in the two-team AAC Championships last spring. The Mustangs swept the top six spots in the 50 free. All but senior Daniel Forndal should be returning. They include conference champion Justin Baker (19.67), Lance Butler (19.99), Cole Parnell (20.31), Riley Hill (20.33), and Charlie Kaye (20.37). Forndal won the 100 free (43.36) and was joined in the A final by Butler (43.82), Baker (44.05), Parnell (44.27), Kaye (44.33), and junior Wyatt Cronk (44.68).

Bruns will also be an asset in the backstroke. Hill (47.61), Kaye (48.72), sophomores Jack Easton (48.86) and Tyler Barfield (49.27) and freshman John Culver (49.78) are returning A-finalists in the 100 back.

Bruns will begin next fall with Davis Edwards, another Auburn-to-SMU transfer, and the new members of the SMU class of 2025: Angus Corbeau, Ben Binder, Cotton Fields, Joe Rusnock, Joshua Miller, Max Zuanich, Pierce Thionville, Rob McCall, Russell Exum, Rylan Stevenson, Samuel Tiblier, and Sawyer Inglis.