2009-10 Season Outlook
Colleen Criss enters her final season at Nebraska as one of the top breaststrokers on the team. She had the third-fastest times in both breaststroke events last season, and along with Kaitlin Arntz and Hailey Dean will give the Huskers experience in the event that is shaping up to be one of Nebraska's strongest races in 2009-10. Criss made consistent improvements throughout her junior season, culminating at the Big 12 Championships where she set career-bests in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke. Criss also swam in the 200-yard IM last season, and Coach Pablo Morales will likely utilize her in that role again this season.
2008-09 (Junior)
Criss produced a pair of top-five finishes in 2008-09, including a fourth-place finish in the 50-yard breaststroke against UNO. Criss swam her best meet of the season at the Big 12 Championships, where she set career-bests in both the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.36) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:21.66). Criss had the third-fastest 100- and 200-yard breaststroke times on the team in 2008-09.
2007-08 (Sophomore)
Criss capped a successful sophomore season with a pair of 16th-place finishes at the 2008 Big 12 Championships in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, improving upon her 2007 Big 12 finishes of 21st in each race. Criss had a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle and a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke against South Dakota State in addition to her success in the breaststroke.
2006-07 (Freshman)
Criss had identical 21st-place finishes in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke at the 2007 Big 12 Championships. Her career-best time of 1:06.56 in the 100 and time of 2:25.35 in the 200 were both the fourth-fastest on the team in 2006-07. Criss' regular season was highlighted by runner-up finishes in two Husker wins in the 100-yard breaststroke at South Dakota State and the 200-yard individual medley at Nebraska-Omaha. She added a pair of top-25 finishes at the Minnesota Invitational, placing 20th in the 200-yard breaststroke and 23rd in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Previous
Criss was a high school All-American in the 200-yard freestyle and medley relays at Omaha Marian High School. In those events, Criss won four gold medals. In addition, Criss finished second individually at the state meet in the 100-yard breaststroke and third in the 200 IM three times. By qualifying for the state meet all four years, Criss helped continue the Crusaders' dominance, as Marian won eight straight Class A state titles between 2000 and 2007.
Personal
Colleen was born on Sept. 22, 1987, in Omaha, Neb. Her parents are Steve and Sue Criss, and she has one brother, Scott, and two sisters, Michelle, a former Husker swimmer, and twin sister Karen, a senior swimmer at Nebraska. Colleen is majoring in speech-language pathology.