Brooke Atkinson

Position:
Backstroke
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
Boca Raton, Fla.
High School:
Pine Crest School

Career Best Times: 23.51, 50 free; 51.10, 100 free; 1:54.42, 200 free; 55.87, 100 back; 2:00.96, 200 back.

General: A two-time returning letter winner who excels in the backstroke and freestyle events...was a 10-time high school All-America selection, including four straight citations in the 100-yard backstroke.

2009-10 (Sophomore): Had a great end to the season with her swims in the Triangle College Cup...took first place in the 50 free at 23.90 and also snared the top spot in the 100 free at 51.82.

2008-09 (Freshman): Was one of Carolina's exhibition entries at the ACC Championships and achieved career best times in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard backstroke...went a career best time of 55.87 in the 100-yard backstroke at ACCs...in the 200-yard backstroke she went a personal best time of 2:00.96...also had a personal best in the 50-yard freestyle at ACCs with a time of 23.56.

Prep: Graduated from the Pine Crest School on May 23, 2008...four-year letter winner in swimming in the backstroke and freestyle...four-year track letter winner in the 800-meter run, mile run, pole vault, long jump and on the 4x200-meter relay...2007 Florida high school state champion in the 50-yard free-style and runner-up in the 100-yard backstroke...2007 Florida high school record holder and state champion as a member of Pine Crest's 200-yard free-style relay...holds the record at her high school in the 100-yard backstroke...named team captain her junior and senior years ...qualified for Senior National, US Open and Junior National meets...honored with the 2006 State Farm Sportsmanship Award.

Personal: Name is Brooke Eve Atkinson...daughter of John Atkinson and Susan Atkinson...was born June 14, 1989, in Boynton Beach, Fla. ...has two brothers, John 27, and James, 22...her father swam for the University of Pennsylvania...her brother John swam for Yale University...her brother James swam for the University of Georgia...communication studies major.

20 Questions With Junior Brooke Atkinson
Section #1: Swimming & Diving
1. The best thing about being a Tar Heel swimmer is the opportunity to become the fastest I can be.
2. My favorite thing about competing for Coach DeSelm is he always tries to help you improve on something.
3. Since my last competitive season, the aspect of my training I've worked on the most is my underwater kick.
4. My best friend on another college swimming team is Hannah Wilson of California.
5. My greatest strength as a swimmer is my ability to stay mentally tough.
Section #2: Hobbies & Interests
1. Away from the pool and academics, I like to spend time at the beach and wakeboarding. 3. If I could compete in another sport at UNC it would be basketball.
4. If I received free concert tickets via a radio/internet promotion I would love to see Rihanna.
5. The one interest/hobby I have that people would be surprised to know is I love to cook.
Section #3: Food
1. After a big meet I'd love to see a buffet spread that included bread, grouper, spinach and brownies.
2.My favorite beverage is Tropicana orange juice with pulp.
3. I'm allowed to enter a room with unlimited snacks, one room has the salty stuff, the other sweet stuff? Which room do I enter and why? I keep the doors open so that I can alternate between sweet and salty.
4. My favorite food made by a relative is my Grandma's green beans.
5. On my birthday, I'd love to be treated by my friends to dinner at Chima.
Section #4: Personality
1. If I possessed the gift of time travel I would go to the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, N.Y. to witness Team USA win the gold medal.
2. My most prized personal possession are my photos.
3. My iTunes library includes country, R&B, and house music.
4. In a perfect world where making money was not a consideration my dream job would be a corporate event planner.
5. The most interesting person I've met in my time at UNC is Mark Strand. He is a great poet and has an interesting outlook on life.