Country: United States
Sport: Swimming
Birthdate: 4/21/1988
Birthplace: Charlotte, N.C.
Height: 6' 2" (188 cm)
College: University of Texas '10
Residence: Austin, Texas
Club: Longhorn Aquatics (TXLA-TX)
Coach: Eddie Reese, Kris Kubik, and Randy Reese

  • Olympic Gold Medalist and World Record Holder, 800m freestyle relay
  • American record holder, 800y freestyle relay
  • Nine-time All-American
  • Three-time honorable mention All-American
  • Member of Team USA for 2007 Pan American Games (one gold, two silvers)
  • 11-time Big 12 Champion
  • Academic All-Big 12
2008 BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES
  • Swam in the 800m freestyle relay finals and joined Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Peter Vanderkaay to win gold and set new world and Olympic records in 6:58:56; split 1:46.29 on the third leg
  • Competed in the 800m freestyle relay preliminary round with teammate Dave Walters and led the Americans to the top seed in the prelims in a then-Olympic record mark of 7:04.66; split 1:45.47 on the second leg, good for the second-fastest leg among the 64 relay legs swum in the preliminary round
2008 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS
  • Placed third in the 200m freestyle in a personal-best time of 1:46.14 to make the U.S. Olympic Team; qualified fourth in the prelims at 1:47.72 and fifth in the semifinals at 1:46.77
  • Placed 12th in the 100m butterfly semifinals in 53.39 after qualifying seventh in the preliminary round in 52.68
  • Placed 17th in the 100m freestyle in 49.42
OTHER INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
  • Won gold (400-meter medley relay) and silver (400, 800-meter free relays) for Team USA at the 2007 Pan American Games
AS A SOPHOMORE (2007-08)
  • Anchored UT's 800-yard freestyle relay that set new American, NCAA, U.S. Open, school and pool records at the Big 12 Championships; relay finished in 6:10.55, and Berens anchored in 1:32.52
  • Placed second in the 200 IM (1:43.25), fifth in the 100 butterfly (46.03) and seventh in the 200 butterfly (1:44.36) at the NCAA Championships
  • Anchored UT's second-place 800 freestyle relay in 1:35.54 at the NCAA Championship; relay finished in 6:16.54
  • Split 45.78 on the butterfly leg of UT's fifth-place 400 medley relay at the NCAA Championship
  • Anchored UT's fifth-place 400 free relay in 43.12 at the NCAA Championship; relay finished in 2:51.85
  • Captured the 100 butterfly (46.38), 200 butterfly (1:43.64) and the 200 IM (1:46.20) at the Big 12 Championship
  • Claimed the 100 butterfly against Michigan and Indiana (47.63) and Texas A&M (47.49)
  • Captured the 200 butterfly against Michigan and Indiana (1:46.31), Auburn (1:46.42 and Arizona (1:47.38)
  • Clocked 1:49.29 to win the 200 IM against Auburn
AS A FRESHMAN (2006-07)
  • Placed 10th in the 100-yard butterfly (47.81), 13th in the 200 IM (1:46.09) and 19th in the 200 butterfly (1:46.41) at the NCAA Championships
  • Swam the butterfly leg of UT's second-place 400 medley relay at the NCAA Championships
  • Anchored Texas' 800 freestyle relay to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships
  • Swam the third leg of the Longhorns' fifth-place 400 freestyle relay at the NCAA Championships
  • Claimed his first conference title by clocking 46.97 in the 100 butterfly at the Big 12 Championships
  • Set a new personal best in the 200 butterfly with a mark of 1:44.50 for second place at the Big 12 Championships
  • Placed third in the 200 IM (1:48.07) at the Big 12 Championships
  • Helped UT to wins in the 400- and 800-freestyle relays at the Big 12 Championships
  • Swam the third leg of UT's second-fastest 800-freestyle relay in school history at the Big 12 Championships
  • Claimed the 100 butterfly in the tri-meet against California and Indiana (47.81) and against Georgia (48.49)
  • Captured the 200 butterfly in the tri-meet against California and Indiana (1:48.00) and against Florida (1:46.40), Georgia (1:46.53) and in the tri-meet with Arizona and SMU (1:49.52)
  • Won the 200 IM against California and Indiana (1:48.86) and at Auburn (1:49.10)

NATIONALLY
  • Member of the National Junior Team in 2003 and 2004
  • Qualified for the 2005 Summer Senior Nationals in 9 events
  • Placed third in the 100 butterfly at the 2005 Summer Senior Nationals, as well as seventh in the 200 butterfly
  • Placed first in the 800 free relay in the 2004 U.S. Summer Senior Nationals
  • Currently ranked 25th in the world in the 200-meter freestyle and 29th in the world in the 100-meter butterfly
HIGH SCHOOL
  • 2006 Swimming World Magazine National High School Swimmer of the Year
  • Holds 19 state records in North Carolina
  • Charlotte Observer Swimmer of the Year in 2004
  • Named MVP in 2004 and 2005 at the North Carolina high school state championships
  • Holds 51 Mecklenburg Aquatic Club team records
  • Received MVP honors from South Mecklenburg high school in 2004 and 2005
  • Helped team win first place in the NC State 4A Championship
  • Set high school record in the 100 butterfly (48.13) and in the 200 IM (1:51.75) in 2004 and 2005
  • Named Scholastic All-American in 2005 and 2006
  • Competed on swim team all four years of high school

WORLD RANKINGS
2008
72nd, 100m free; 11th, 200m free; 53rd, 100m fly; 56th 200m fly
2007
52nd, 100m free; 26th, 200m free; 83rd, 50m fly; 30th, 100m fly; 76th, 200m fly
2006
128th, 200m free; 48th, 100m fly; 50th 200m fly; 143rd, 200 IM
2005
112th, 200m free; 31st, 100m fly; 51st, 200m fly

PERSONAL
High School: South Mecklenburg HS '06
College Major: Business
Job Outside of Swimming: Lifeguard
Parents: John and Leslie
Siblings: One brother (Tim) and one sister (Jessica)
Hobby Outside the Pool: Golf
Most Influential Person: Parents. "They have always been there for me and are always supportive no matter what happens. They both are great people and parents and I look up to them a lot."
Favorites: Movies: 300, Superbad, Super Troopers, Knocked Up. TV: Sportscenter. Music: O.A.R., Umphrey's McGee, Counting Crows, Dispatch