UWM's McClellan Ready For World University Games

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee swimmer Emily McClellan will represent the United States at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia this coming week.

McClellan, who will be a senior for the Panthers this fall, has rewritten the record books in her first three years at Milwaukee. She will compete in the 50 and 100 breaststroke over the next seven days and is excited about getting the opportunity to swim for team USA.

"I am really excited for Russia," McClellan said. "This will be my first time out of the country and competing internationally on a US team and I am looking forward to it. I am nervous, but mostly excited!

"Aside from competing at the games, I am mostly excited to live in the village and get to know the other athletes on the team and from around the world. What is cool is that we are all the same age and are experiencing this together. I think meeting new people and hopefully making some new friends is what I am really looking forward to."

McClellan's first swim will come in the 100m breaststroke. Prelims for that event are set for July 11 12:23 a.m. Central Time. The 50m breaststroke is slated for July 15 at midnight Central Time.

ESPN will broadcast some of the events from Kazan online at ESPN3.com.

The standout swimmer qualified for the World University Games after an incredible summer in the pool one year ago. After just missing a spot at the London Olympics in the 100 breaststroke, McClellan won the same event at the U.S. Open by nearly a full second. She is one of just 17 American women selected to compete for Team USA.

Taking place every two years, the World University Games are an international multi-sport event organized for university athletes by the International Sports Federation (FISU). Swimmers on the 2013 World University Games Team roster were selected based upon their performance at the 2012 U.S. Open Championships. All athletes selected for the team must be at least 17 years old and less than 28 years old on Jan. 1, 2013.

(Release courtesy of Tim Prahl, Milwaukee Athletics)