Varun Shivakumar Class: Junior Hometown: Hoffman Estates, Ill. High School: Fremd Height / Weight: 6-4 / 190 Event: Backstroke

Fall 2011: Northwestern's top distance backstroker, ranks on NU's top times list in three different events following the fall season ... Is first in the 200 back, third in the 100 back and fifth in the 500 free ... Won both backstroke events in a double dual against UIC and North Dakota (11/12) ... Also won the 200 back versus Wisconsin (11/11) ... Has six total top-three dual meet finishes this year ... Finished second in the 200 back and fifth in the 100 back at Northwestern's own five-team TYR Invitational (11/18-11/20) ... Won the consolation final of the 50 back and took 19th during the bonus final of the 500 free at the TYR Invite.

2010-11: Northwestern's top swimmer in the 200 back and second-quickest in the 100 back following the year ... Qualified for the first championship final of his career at the Big Ten Championships, swimming a career-best and NCAA `B' provisional qualifying time of 1:44.98 in the preliminary heat before ending up eighth overall ... That time placed him fifth on NU's all-time top times list in the event ... Made the bonus final of the 100 back at the conference meet with a career-best 49.26 in the morning session before taking 23rd overall ... Also competed in the 200 IM at the Big Ten Championships, turning in a career-best 1:53.79 to place 46th ... Won the 200 back, finished second in the 100 back and took third in the 50 back at NU's own five-team TYR Invitational (11/19-11/21) ... Won the bonus finals of the 500 free and 200 IM at the TYR ... Earned a dual-meet win in the 200 back at NU's quad dual (11/6) ... Scored dual-meet points with 12 top-five finishes in those meets.

2009-10: Held Northwestern's top time of the year in the 200 back while ranking second in the 100 back ... Qualified for the bonus finals in both backstroke distances at the Big Ten Championships ... Placed 18th in the 200 back with a career-best and NCAA `B' provisional qualifying time of 1:46.34 during the bonus heat ... That time put him fifth on NU's all-time top performers list in the event ... Swam a season-best 49.44 in the 100 back prelims before taking 19th overall with a 49.65 in the finals ... Finished third in the 200 back at the six-team TYR Invitational ... Qualified for the consolation final of the 100 back at the TYR, taking 10th overall ... Earned a spot in the bonus finals of the 200 fly and 200 IM at the TYR ... Picked up dual-meet victories in the 50 back and 100 back against UIC (11/14) ... Had seven total top-three dual-meet finishes on the year.

High School: Three-time state finalist in the 100-yard backstroke ... Achieved an All-America consideration time in the 100 back as a junior before earning an automatic All-America time as a senior ... Undefeated in dual-meet competition in the 100 back and 200 IM as a senior ... Led Fremd to the championship at the Barrington Sectional meet in 2008 and an undefeated regular season in 2009 ... Also played two years of water polo ... Swam club with the Palatine Park District from 1998-2009 ... Club won the 2009 SCY Speedo sectional meet at Brown Deer, Wis. ... Four-year "A" Honor Roll student ... Top 10 percent in his high school class ... National Merit Semifinalist ... Illinois State Scholar.

Personal: Born Varun Shivakumar in Chennai, India ... Son of Shivakumar Rajagopal and Usha Shivakumar ... Father played cricket at the senior Division/University level in Chennai ... Chose Northwestern over Princeton and Cornell ... Majoring in economics.

SHIVAKUMAR'S PERSONAL BESTS

Event	Personal Best
100 backstroke	49.26
200 backstroke	1:44.98
200 individual medley	1:53.79

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