Lexi Kucera Season 2023-24

Honors
Three Letters (2021, 2022, 2023)
CSC Academic All-District (2023, 2024)
Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2022, 2023)
Academic All-Big Ten (2022, 2023, 2024)
Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023; Spring 2021, 2022, 2023)
Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

2023-24 (Senior)
Lexi Kucera was a key contributor for the Huskers in the freestyle and butterfly events, while contributing to numerous relay victories. At the mid-season Hawkeye Invitational, she grabbed a pair of seventh-place finishes in the 100 freestyle (51.06) and the 200 freestyle (1:50.57). Kucera added two sixth-place finishes in the 100 butterfly (54.63) and the 200 butterfly (2:01.84). She went on to swim in the finals of both events at the Big Ten Championships and took 22nd and 23rd-place finishes. Kucera set a career-best in the 200 butterfly at a dual with Rutgers. She touched the wall in 2:00.75 for a third-place finish.

Kucera was a key contributor to an eighth-place finishing 800 freestyle relay at the Big Ten Championships. She helped the Huskers to a 7:11.31, the No. 3 time on the all-time list.

2022-23 (Junior)
Kucera has been a crucial part of Nebraska's success through her relay contributions and success in individual events. At the mid-season Hawkeye Invite, Kucera swam to a runner-up finish in the 100 butterfly (54.17) and third-place finishes in the 100 freestyle (50.41), the 200 freestyle (1:48.47) and the 200 butterfly (2:00.97). Her times in the 200 freestyle and the 200 butterfly were career-bests. In the first duals of the year, Kucera won the 200 freestyle at SDSU (1:53.88) and took first in the 100 butterfly (56.65) against Iowa State.

At the Iowa dual, Kucera swam to a pair of victories in the 100 freestyle (51.91) and the 200 freestyle (1:52.39), while finishing as runner-up in the 100 butterfly (57.06). In a battle with the Jayhawks, Kucera notched two second-place finishes, clocking a 52.20 in the 100 freestyle and a 1:52.97 in the 200 freestyle.

Kucera qualified for the 100 butterfly C Final at the Big Ten Championships and went on to place 22nd with a 54.60. She was a member of four relays at conference, including the ninth-place 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay.

On top of Kucera's 21 top-three finishes in individual races, she has been a member of seven winning relays this season. The most notable victory was in the 800 freestyle relay at the Hawkeye Invite (7:16.24).

2021-22 (Sophomore)
Kucera was one of Nebraska’s top sprinters and consistent contributors during her sophomore campaign. She opened the 2021-22 season with solid performances in a team dual victory over South Dakota State. Kucera was the runner-up in the 200 freestyle, while swimming the opening leg of Nebraska’s winning 200 free relay. She was also a member of NU’s second-place 200 medley relay.

She performed at an even higher level in a dominant Big Ten dual win over Iowa, when she captured a pair of titles in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly, after opening the meet as part of Nebraska’s winning 200 medley relay team. Kucera’s three victories helped the Huskers to largest dual margin (134 points, 193-59) over a Big Ten opponent in school history. To close October, Kucera raced to two runner-up finishes, in the 100 freestyle against Iowa State and in the 100 butterfly against Minnesota. She followed this up with a big win in the 50 freestyle against Kansas to help the team to a victory over its old Big 12 rival.

Continuing to prove that she is a force in the sprints, Kucera swam a career-best to finish as runner-up in the 100 butterfly (54.30) at the Mizzou Invitational (Nov. 17-19). She added two more career-bests, including one in the 100 freestyle (50.09) to finish seventh and swam another in the 50 freestyle prelims (23.33). At the invite in Columbia, Mo., Kucera was also a member of the winning 800 freestyle relay with a 7:15.75. She closed the dual season with a 100 fly victory and a third-place swim in the 50 free at Illinois, along with two additional third-place finishes against Rutgers (100 free, 200 free).

At the 2022 Big Ten Championships, Kucera swam career-best times in the 50 free (23.16), 100 free (50.02) and 100 fly (54.09). She qualified for the C-finals in the 100 fly and was also a constant in NU’s relays, competing in four of them.

2020-21 (Freshman)
Kucera made an immediate impact at Nebraska as a freshman. At the Big Ten Championships, she  raced to the C-Final with a 50.11 in the 100 free prelims at the conference meet. She tied for 23rd in the 100 free to score 1.5 points for the Huskers. She just missed scoring in the 100 fly, finishing 26th in prelims with a 54.77. Kucera also played a huge role on five Husker relays (200 medley, 400 medley, 200 free, 400 free and 800 free) that combined for 216 of NU’s 542.5 points at the conference meet to produce Nebraska’s best Big Ten finish since joining the league in 2012.

During an abbreviated regular season, Kucera claimed five top-five finishes, including a second-place showing in the 100 fly against Illinois (Jan. 23). She added a third-place finish in the 50 free against the Illini. She opened the season with a runner-up finish in the 50 free (23.59) at Iowa (Jan. 16), and added a third-place showing in the 100 fly (55.46). She closed the regular season with a fourth-place finish and career-best 23.49 in the 50 free in a tri-dual at Minnesota with Iowa (Feb. 6).

Before Nebraska
Kucera competed for five years at the Minnesota Class A State Championships for Hutchinson High School, completing her career as a two-time state champion and nine-time individual state finalist. She posted eight top-three state finishes. She also competed for the Tides Swimming Club. A talented power swimmer, Kucera came to Nebraska with personal-best times in the 50 free (23.81), 100 free (50.99), 200 free (1:50.18), 100 fly (55.57) and 200 IM (2:11.53).

Personal 
The daughter of David and Cathy Kucera, Lexi was born Sept. 11, 2001 in Hutchinson, Minn. She has two brothers, Trent and Mason, and one sister, Kaylee. A nutrition and health sciences/finance major, Lexi was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree in 2022 and 2023. She is a five-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll selection, and a three-time member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team.

Career-Best Times

Event	Time	Meet (Date)
50 Free	23.16	Big Ten Championships (2022)
100 Free	50.02	Big Ten Championships (2022)
200 Free	1:48.47	Hawkeye Invite (2022)
500 Free	5:10.05	vs. Omaha (2022)
100 Fly	54.09	Big Ten Championships (2022)
200 Fly	2:00.75	Rutgers (2024)
200 IM	2:09.26	Omaha (2023)