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Kirsten joins Trisha Lakatos in student coaching responsibilites after a phenominal career at Illinois.
In her senior year, Koepcke held the fastest times in the 1000 and 1650 freestyle. She was also apart of the 800 free relay team that set a school record at the Big Ten Championships. Overall, she ranks sixth all time in Illinois history in the 500 free, second in the 1000 free and third in the 1650 free. In her senior year she had 13 first place finishes. Of those 13, Koepcke swam six consecutive first places finishes in a span from 10/24 to 11/6. In her senior year she swam three events at the Big Ten Championhips and finished 11th in the 1650 freestyle...Koepcke was a four time letterwinnter at Illinois is scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2006 with degrees in speech communications and sociology.
2003-04 - Was a member of the 800 free relay team that set a school record at the Big Ten Championships ... Ranks among the top ten all-time in school history for the 500 (7th), 1000 (2nd) and 1650 (3rd) ... Earned five top times among Illini (200, 500, 1000, 1650 free and 400 IM) ... Posted a "B" standard qualifying time in the 1650 free with a time of 16:50.33 at Big Ten's ... Won the 200 free against Illinois State and Toledo ... Took first in the 1000 free against Iowa State and Southern Illinois ... Claimed the victory against Ohio State and Iowa ... Was victorious in the 500 free at the Big Ten Quad meet ... Competed in 200, 500 and 1650 free at the Big Ten Championships.
2002-03 - Earned two "B" standard qualifying times one in the 200 free with a 1:50.65 as a lead-off for the relay and the 1650 free in 16.53.17 ... Earned five top 5 times for the team in the 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 1650 free ... Competed in the 200, 500, and the 1650 free for the Big Ten Championships ... Earned victories in the 100 and 1000 free against Illinois State, also won the 200 free at Oakland ... Posted nine second place finishes in the 100, 200, 500, and 1650 ... Was a member of the 800 freestyle relay team who broke a school record with the time of 7:22.08 and was part of the 400 freestyle team who finished sixth in the record books with a time 3:25.55.
2001-02 - Won the 1000 free at the Fall Illini Classic and at Illinois State ... Won the 200 and 500 freestyles at the Illinois Senior Championships ... Posted Illinois' second-fastest time of the season in both the 1000 and 1650 freestyles ... Also ranked among team leaders in the 200 and 500 freestyles ... Was sixth in the 1650 freestyle and 10th in the 200 free at the Terrapin Cup Invitational.
High School - Earned four varsity letters at DeKalb, one each year in swimming ... Captain of high school team and three-time team MVP ... An nine-time YMCA All-American ... Qualified for the Illinois state meet in both the 200 and 500 freestyles as a junior and senior in high school.
Personal - Parents are Alan and Nina Koepcke ... Enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ... A four-year Honor Roll student ... Lists her YMCA coach of 10 years, Brian Bickner, as the greatest influence on her athletic career because "he always pushed me to do better and never let me be satisfied with where I was" ... Credits much of her success to her parents and teammates "who always cheered for me to keep my spirits up."
