Brian Alden has swam in the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships before -- but he's never done it alone.
As a freshman last year, Alden earned honorable mention All-America status at the 2009 NCAA championships in College Station, Texas, along with teammates Vincent Reydams, Patrick Schirk, Jason Goldner and Basil Kaaki.
This year, Alden will travel to Columbus, Ohio, as the only Nittany Lion competing in the 2010 NCAA championships starting March 25, and he's doing all he can this week to prepare.
"This last week we've cranked up my pace a little bit, and it's been paying off," Alden said. "We'll probably start taking it down today and tomorrow and take it easy the rest of the week."
He'll compete in the 50- and 200-yard freestyle events, having posted the 22nd-best time in the nation in both events, as well as the 100 free, posting the 43rd-best time in the country. Alden took fourth in the 100 free and fifth in the 50 free at Big Ten championships this season.
"Big Tens was a pretty big stage, and that'll prepare me well for NCAAs," he said. "I think I can go faster than I did at Big Tens."
Despite Alden being the only swimmer Penn State will send to Columbus, his teammates are confident he'll perform to his potential. Kaaki, who swam with Alden to a 14th-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay last year at NCAAs, knows what Alden can achieve.
"Brian came in as a freshman and really stepped it up," Kaaki said. "It's not anything new for him."
Alden will continue to rest up and stay fresh until next Tuesday, when he'll leave for Ohio State. He knows he'll need to focus on his own without the help of his teammates there by his side, but he's excited for the challenge.
"I wish I had some teammates there with me," he said. "But I'm gonna do what I can to represent Penn State as best as possible."
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