Freshmen Spotlight: Brock Aune & Dani Cramer

QUICK SPRINTS

Brock Aune

Favorite Music Artist: Still Woozy
Favorite Restaurant: Culver's
Favorite Number: 7
Favorite TV series: The Office
Greatest Fear: Drowning
Favorite Race to Swim: 100 Breast
Favorite Color: Blue
Scale of 1-10, how good of a singer are you?: Four
Favorite Book: Siddhartha
Favorite Animal: Great White Shark
Favorite Season: Summer
Game Show You'd be Best at: Jeopardy
Favorite Superhero: Superman
Ideal Superpower: Flying
Favorite Dinkytown Restaurant: Raising Canes

Dani Cramer

Favorite Music Artist: Maggie Rogers or One Direction
Favorite Restaurant: Qdoba
Favorite Number: 27
Favorite TV series: Arrested Development
Greatest Fear: Birds
Favorite Race to Swim: 100 Fly
Favorite Color: Blue
Scale of 1-10, how good of a singer are you?: Four
Go-To Karaoke Song: Party in the U.S.A.
Favorite Book: Harry Potter
Favorite Animal: Dog
Favorite Season: Fall
Game Show You'd be Best at: Jeopardy
Favorite Superhero: Spiderman
Favorite Video Game: Mario Kart
Ideal Superpower: Shape-Shifting

With 26 incoming swimmers and divers eagerly awaiting their collegiate debuts, there are plenty of new faces to Minnesota's historic program. In an effort to better get to know these incoming student-athletes, Gopher Sports sat down with each to learn more about them prior to the kick-off of the 2020-21 season.

First up for the Maroon & Gold are two Wisconsin natives, Brock Aune and Dani Cramer. After finishing his 2019-20 senior year with a third consecutive top-three performance in the 100 breaststroke at the WIAA Division 2 State Championships, Aune will add his prowess in the stroke to an already impressive roster.

Coming out of Milton, Wis., Cramer notched All-State performances in both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke her senior year, touching fourth and fifth in the two races respectively at the WIAA Division 1 State Championships. Cramer also holds the title of reigning Wisconsin Sportswoman of the Year, receiving said title in early June.

GS: Why did you choose Minnesota?
Cramer: "I chose the University of Minnesota because when I stepped on campus and met the team, I felt like I was really at home. Meeting Kelly, Terry and everyone on my individual meetings on my tour, I just felt really secure in knowing that my decision to come there would be a good one, and that everyone there was dedicated to helping me succeed. Also, when I was in middle school, I went to a zone championship meet at the "U", and I got to swim at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. It was the most amazing pool I'd ever seen and I loved the campus. That's when I first really started wanting to be a Gopher."
Aune: "I think it really came down to just the overall team atmosphere. Right when I got there on my official visit, I really felt like I clicked with the team, and I felt like I was surrounded by some really great people who could potentially be my teammates at some point. Even now, I feel like I've made some great friendships and I'm not even at the "U" yet, so I'm excited to see what's next."

GS: When did you first start swimming and how did you get started?
Aune: "I started swimming when I was nine years old. I got into it because my swim teacher at the time really recommended it to my parents. I was a little hesitant at first, but once I got into it and was on the swim team, I really fell in love, and I've been in love with it ever since. For the first couple years I played baseball and basketball as well, but after a couple of years, I decided swimming was my top priority. Around eighth grade, my coach and I really thought nationals was the next goal, so I have been working towards that ever since. During high school, swimming D1 was always the goal, so I've always looked forward to that and I'm here now, so this is really awesome."
Cramer: "I started swimming when I was seven years old on my summer rec team, and I loved it right from the start. I used to play a lot of other sports growing up, like softball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, track and cross country, but by the time my freshman year hit, I decided that my sole focus was going to be swimming if I wanted to be a D1 athlete, which was my goal. So, I quit all of those and really started getting into my swimming my freshman year."

GS: Who has been your biggest influence/inspiration throughout your career?
Aune: "I would say my grandpa has been the biggest influence on me. He's just a really great guy, and whenever I'm down about a bad meet or some trouble I've been having during practice, he's always got some great advice for me and just great life advice in general. I think that impartial ear helps keep me sane at times, so he's been a really big help throughout my career. He was pretty proud when I told him I was coming to Minnesota. He definitely knows all I've been through and all the hard work I've put in, so I think it was great to be able to tell him that I would be living out my dream and swimming D1 here. I've actually got a bunch of family in Minnesota and he's from there originally, so I think he was pretty happy to hear that I was coming to the "U" and going to be a Gopher."
Cramer: "Bridget Alexander. She swam on my club team when she was my age. She's actually from my hometown of Milton, and she went on to have an All-American collegiate career. She just had so much grit, and she taught us all about hard work and how to push through difficulties in both swimming and life. It was just inspiring to see her start from the same small town I was from, and end up with these huge accomplishments and just a really successful career. I always found myself looking up to her, especially as a backstroker throughout my career. We don't keep in contact as much anymore, but sometimes during high school season she would text us things like "Good luck on your guy's relay!" because she would know how big of a deal high school season was for us."

GS: What is the most memorable moment of your swimming career?
Aune: "The 2017 YMCA Nationals my freshman year. It was my first Nationals ever, and the only events I actually competed in were two relays with my older teammates. We ended up placing sixth in the 200 medley relay, and just being up on the podium with them was really fun. I'll always remember the crowd going wild when I dove in, and it was just so much fun."
Cramer: "Taking two relays to state during my senior year this past fall. We hadn't done that since we got moved up to division one my freshman year of high school, so it was really exciting to see my teammates and I come together to qualify two relays at a huge state meet like Wisconsin's is. All of the support from our team was just amazing, and it was a really fun season."

GS: What is something, outside of the water, that you think you are elite at?
Aune: "I'm pretty good at grilling. Sometimes at my cabin I'll grill for my friends and I can cook up a really good burger or hotdog."
Cramer: "I would say I'm elite at quoting tv shows. I love shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, Arrested Development and Brooklyn 99, really anything comedy, and I've seen them all way too many times. I feel like I'm always quoting those."

GS: Do you have any pre-meet or pre-race rituals?
Aune: "Just some stretching and some really good music. I've got a couple songs that I always listen to before my race, but that's it really. Just jump around a little and get loose."
Cramer: "I feel like I always end up doing the same stretches behind the block and tying my goggles into a really specific knot on the back of my head. I think that's it though. Just talking to my teammates helps calm me down before a race too."

GS: Being a Gopher is about more than just scoring points in the pool. What is a quality you will bring to Minnesota that you think will bolster this Gopher culture?
Aune: "The past two years, I've developed a pretty positive attitude towards my swimming. Even when things don't go my way or I don't have the best practice, I try to keep a positive attitude. I'm not great at it all the time, but being as positive as you can and looking forward, instead of dwelling on the past, is a lot more beneficial to me and any team. I definitely think a positive attitude is something I'll bring to the table."
Cramer: "... that's something that I tried to push in my choice of colleges. Anywhere I went, I wanted to be a contributor, and that didn't have to mean at the conference swimming level. It could be that I contribute my GPA to the team and am helping in the classroom, or I'm leading people and encouraging during practice. Just that I'm doing something that's contributing to making our team better, and I think that's a big part of what being a sportswoman is. Just being a well-rounded individual who helps others succeed. I think that's a big part of the award, and what I hope to continue as a Gopher."

GS: What is something you are looking forward to in your time as a Gopher?
Aune: "I'm looking forward to all the friendships I'll make. Like I said earlier, the team's atmosphere was super important to me, and it's clear that anyone who chooses to become a Gopher has a great character and great set of values. I think any Gopher would make a great friend."
Cramer: "I think I'm just looking forward to being on a team again with everyone. It's been a long wait, and although most people have been committed for far longer than I have, this last year has just been a lot of anticipation of getting to campus and swimming with everyone. I'm just really excited for the big team atmosphere, and getting to see everyone succeed in and out of the pool. I think it's going to be a big change for a lot of us, but it's going to be fun to see how we all grow throughout it."

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Brock Aune