NCAA Champion (200 MR)
Eight-time All-American
SEC Champion (100 Fly, 200 FR, 200 MR, 400 MR)
Junior Season (2006-07)
Swam the butterfly onthe NCAA champion 200 medley relay team with a 20.08 split... The team posted a time of 1:23.37, setting new Auburn and NCAA records... Finished fifth in the 100 fly with a time of 46.06, a mark that ranks second all-time at Auburn... Swam on the third-place 400 medley relay team with a butterfly split of 45.46... Competed in the preliminaries of the 400 free relay, swimming a leadoff 43.29 that led the team to a second-place finish (the finals team went on to win the NCAA title)... Also competed in the 50 free and 100 free at NCAAs... Won the SEC championship in the 100 fly with a time of 46.88... Swam on three SEC champion relay teams: swam the second leg (19.33) in the 200 free relay, the butterfly (20.57) in the 200 medley relay and the butterfly (46.76) in the 400 medley relay... Finished fifth in the 50 free at SECs with a time of 19.69 and sixth in the 100 free with a 44.32 mark... Swam the fastest butterfly splits of the season in the 200 medley relay (20.04) and 400 medley relay (45.46).
Sophomore Season (2005-06)
Swam the third leg on the Croatian 400 free relay team that finished sixth at the FINA World Short Course Championships (had a 48.11 split)... Semifinalist in the 50 fly at the Short Course Championships (23.68)... Earned four All-America honors at the NCAA Championships... Swam a career high 19.41 in the 50 free prelim to earn a spot in the championship final - a mark that ranks ninth all-time at Auburn... Ended up eighth in the 50 free with a finals time of 19.65... Turned in a career best time of 46.38 in the 100 fly prelim and finished seventh in the finals (46.60)... Swam the second fastest 50 fly split of the entire championship field on the 200 medley relay, 20.61, also a season high ... Had a season best 100 fly split on the 400 medley relay, 46.22, as both the 200 and 400 medley relay[apos]s were runner-up... Part of three SEC Champion relay teams ... Swam the fastest fly splits on both the 200 and 400 medley relay[apos]s in the championship final field, 20.61 and 46.22, respectively to held lead AU squad to victories... Was the leadoff leg on the victorious 200 free relay, splitting 20.11... Was runner-up in the 100 fly with a finals time of 47.22... Finished seventh in both the 50 and 100 free[apos]s at SEC[apos]s, with finals times of 20.03 and 43.93.
Freshman Season (2004-05)
Did Not Compete.
High School
Attended XIII Gymnasium and trained with Tomislav Rogie... Swam with the HPK MLADOST club team... Was the European champion in the 50 fly in both SCM and LCM... The perennial Croatian champion in the 50m free, 50m fly, 100m free... Won nationals with his club team five years in a row.
Personal
Full name is Alexei Puninski... Mother is Svetlana Puninskaya... Born on January 11, 1985... Majoring in international business.
More on Alexei
Chose Auburn because it is the best swimming program... Favorite book is Bill Clinton[apos]s autobiography... Favorite movies are Forrest Gump and Scarface... Describes himself as outgoing and friendly; enjoys plays PlayStation 3, hanging out and reading in his spare time... His swimming role model is Alexondar Popov.... Favorite restaurant is Fogo de Chao - Brazilian Steakhouse.