Big Ten Champ Haebig Proud to Help Huskers Rise

By Jeff Griesch
Nebraska Athletic Communications

Nebraska's first-ever Big Ten swimming champion, Autumn Haebig earned a permanent place in Husker history with her win in the 200-yard freestyle at the 2021 conference championships in Minneapolis, Feb. 25.
 
Haebig, a senior from Grafton, Wis., has had two full weeks to consider the significance of her accomplishment while preparing to challenge for a podium finish at the 2021 NCAA Championships in Greensboro, N.C., this week.
 
"My uncle actually put it into perspective for me by saying that I'm a trivia question," Haebig said. "That is a weird thing to think about because all I've done is try to get a best time."
 
Haebig didn't set out to make history, but the talented and hard-working swimmer has been focused as a leader on helping the Nebraska swimming and diving program reach new heights.
 
"I felt an overwhelming amount of pride being up on that podium," Haebig said. "Being able to hear the fight song and clap along with it up on the first-place podium is a feeling unlike any other because it was the first time it has ever played at Big Tens. Hopefully, it will give us a bigger spot on the map. Our program here at Nebraska needs more recognition, and I think by having both Abi (Knapton) and me as Big Ten champions we can build that spotlight."
 
The pride she felt on the podium replaced shock when she touched the wall and realized that she had won the Big Ten 200 freestyle title in a school-record time of 1:44.39.
 
"It did take a little while for it to set in. After my race I just felt like I was in shock and things weren't fully processing. Right after getting out of the water, one of the first people to come up and congratulate me was my former club teammate from back home, Lillie Hosack, who finished in third place for Wisconsin. Then it was a constant flow of teammates that came up and congratulated me.
 
"The hugs that hit me the most emotionally were from my roommate and best friend, Izzie Murray, and both (Associate Head Coach) Pat (Rowan) and (Head Coach) Pablo (Morales). One of the other moments that spiked my emotions was seeing both of the coaches hug each other after my race. In that moment, I could feel how happy and proud they were."

Nebraska Head Coach Pablo Morales said Haebig's win was a potential program-changing moment for the Huskers.

"We have had individual conference championships before at Nebraska, but this is a big breakthrough for us in the Big Ten," Morales said. "It really is hard to over-state how big an accomplishment it is for our program. The Big Ten is an amazing swimming and diving conference, and championships are not easy to come by.  Autumn and Abi have blazed a trail for current and future Huskers to follow."
 
COVID-19 restrictions prevented some immediate hugs that Haebig would have loved to share with her parents and former coaches who were so influential in her life.
 
"Our meet in Minneapolis did not allow any fans other than our own teammates and coaches," Haebig said. "The best reactions that I got to see were on video recordings of my family as they watched my races live from home. I may not have shown much emotion right after finishing my race, but I can tell you that I did cry while watching the recording that my parents posted with their reactions."
 
Haebig knows that she swims not only for herself, but also for all the people who have helped influence her life both in and out of the pool.
 
"I could not have become a Big Ten champion without the support of my family, friends, teammates and coaches," Haebig said. "It's not just me in that lane swimming, but a whole bunch of people who have impacted my swimming career."
 
Although emotions got the best of Haebig soon after her Big Ten championship victory, she has become a consistent winner during her Husker career, and a quote she heard as a youngster helps keep her steady and focused before, during and after competitions.
 
"I've followed a quote from Vince Lombardi that I've had stored in the back of my head since childhood, which is, 'act like you've been there before.'"
 
Haebig has been there before. Maybe not at the top of the podium at the Big Ten Championships, but the 2020 CSCAA All-American in the 200 free also qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2018 and 2020 before earning a trip to nationals in 2021. She also competed in the 500 freestyle final at the 2020 Big Ten Championships.
 
Haebig owns Nebraska school records in the 500-yard freestyle (4:41.83) and the 100-yard backstroke (52.29) in addition to her record time in the 200 free. She has added school records in the 100-meter back (1:01.91) and the 400-meter free (4:14.96).
 
While she owns some truly impressive accomplishments for a Husker who was raised a Badger fan, Haebig said her decision to come to Nebraska after winning 14 Wisconsin High School titles was made possible by her club coach, former NU swimmer Steve Keller.
 
"He was an influential person when it came to turning my head toward schools," Haebig said. "Seeing his reaction, as well as my family and friends fills me with a sense of accomplishment because I can see that I've made them proud."
 
Although Haebig feels a great sense of pride in her accomplishments to this point, she believes she still has greater goals to achieve in her future.
 
"Coming into college, I had some lofty goals that I knew would be difficult, but I knew that I picked the right school and team to help me reach them," Haebig said. "I've had some bumps along the way that have impacted my journey toward reaching those goals, but the support system that I have here at Nebraska is unlike any other. I knew I could trust them to help me get there. Swimming is a year-round sport, so I am always training for what's next. Right now, I'm gearing up to swim at NCAAs, where I'm hoping to get some personal-best times and make finals. After NCAAs I won't have much rest because Olympic Trials are the first few weeks in June, and we need to get back to training for my events."
 
Haebig, who has qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 100 back, 200 free and 400 free, could use the event in Omaha as a springboard for a fifth season at Nebraska in 2021-22.
 
Since COVID-19 eliminated the 2020 NCAA Championships and shortened the 2020-21 collegiate season, the NCAA has made it possible to grant an additional year of eligibility for swimmers like Haebig.
 
A 2018 CSCAA Scholar All-American and two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection as an advertising and public relations major, Haebig said she is planning to return to the pool again for the Huskers next season to help Nebraska swimming and diving continue to climb in national prominence.

Morales and the rest of the Huskers are excited for what lies ahead for Haebig and the future of Nebraska's program.

"It is difficult to over-state what Autumn has meant and will continue to mean to our program. Her accomplishments have been game-changing for sure," Morales said. "More than that, she has demonstrated what you can achieve when you believe in yourself and the program. She has simply set herself to the task of grinding out the hard work put before her and focusing on the small details to improve her swimming. She has earned every bit of success she has achieved. She has not only been a great example for her teammates, but has demonstrated a very obvious emotional investment in their well-being and the program in general. Our program is better in so many ways because of Autumn."