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National Success
• Finished 14th (56.03) in the 100-meter butterfly, swam a 25.67 in the 50 freestyle and notched a 2:00.61 in the 200 free in the 2008 Junior National Championships
• In the 2007 junior nationals, posted a 54.28 in the 100 freestyle and a 56.71 in the 100 fly
High School Success
• Oaks Christian teammate of fellow Cal freshman swimmer Nolan Koon
• Named co-MVP with Koon for Oaks Christian in junior year; sole MVP in freshman year
• 20-time CIF champion (4 team titles, 8 relay titles, 8 individual titles), including wins in the 200 free (1:40.82) and 100 fly (49.53) in 2008
• Selected as the Ventura County Star's Swimmer of the Year as a sophomore
Personal
• Parents are Sharon and Eric Nielsen
• Undeclared major
• Born on April 21, 1990, in Ojai, Calif.
What other schools were you considering when deciding where to go?
I was considering the University of Arizona, USC and Cal.
Why did you choose Cal?
I chose Cal because I believe it will give me the best opportunities in school and swimming. I love the guys on the team, and Berkeley is a sick place! Also, Dave is a great coach and he has created a great team environment and he understand what it takes to win a NCAA championship.
What do you hope to gain from your four years at Cal?
I hope I can become the best person I can be through my experience at Cal. I hope I can become the best swimmer I can be, and through my Berkeley education learn to my best ability to prepare myself for life after college.
What do you think makes Cal different than any other school?
The diversity makes Cal so much different from any other school. Since there is so much diversity, the environment is so much different from any other school.
What are your swimming goals from this year and for the rest of your college swimming career?
My swimming goals this year are to help the team winning the NCAA championship. My goal is to final in one event at NCAAs. And for the rest of my swimming career I want to be part of at least one winning relay at NCAAs.
