This year the Cedar Lake product is spending every afternoon in the Wabash natatorium preparing for the upcoming NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. Haupert, Wabash head coach Gail Pebworth, and senior student manager Josh Vonderheide left Tuesday evening for the Flickenger Aquatics Center in Buffalo where the championships will begin on Thursday and conclude on Saturday.
Haupert will compete in the 100 breaststroke after setting a top time for the Little Giants this season of 58.19 at the DePauw Invitational in December. His time was also just 1/100th of a second off of the school record in the 100 breaststroke.
The fact that Haupert has been able to advance to nationals as a freshman was no surprise to Pebworth.
"Craig has a tremendous competitive spirit," said Pebworth. "I could see that when I saw him finish in the top eight at the Indiana High School State Championship meet last year. He’s dealt well with the responsibilities that come with being a freshman at Wabash."
Haupert came to Wabash expecting to do well in his first year.
"I knew that I could swim fast in high school," said Haupert. "I expected to be quick this year as a freshman. With the hard work that coach expects from every swimmer in practice and the daily workouts that she prepares, I’m in the best shape of my career. You have to work hard at Wabash. Everyday in practice I’m surrounded by competitive swimmers that are all working to be the best. They make you compete to be the best in practice, and that’s helped me swim better in meets this year."
The 100 breaststroke trials will take place on Friday morning, with the finals scheduled for 6:30 p.m. that evening.
"I’m ready to compete," said Haupert. "I’m looking forward to facing the top swimmers in the nation and see what I can do against them."