Natalie Coughlin on “The Today Show” on Wednesday

BERKELEY, Calif., Aug. 12. UNIVERSITY of California swimming standout Natalie Coughlin will make her second appearance on NBC’s Today Show Wed., Aug. 13 at 9 a.m.

Coughlin, who first appeared on the Today Show last November as Al Roker's guest for the cooking segment, will be on hand as NBC previews the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The opening ceremonies are exactly one year away from tomorrow’s date.

Coughlin most recently competed at the 10th FINA World Championships July 20-27 in Barcelona, Spain. Despite being ill during the championships, Coughlin led the U.S. 400-meter free and medley relays to gold and silver medals.

Last season as a junior, Coughlin had her most impressive season yet as a Golden Bear, earning her third straight NCAA and Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year awards. At the 2003 NCAA Championships in March, she became the NCAA's first three-time titilist in the 100-yard butterfly and 100 and 200 backstroke. She owns the American and NCAA record in each of those events. At the Pac-10 Championships in Federal Way, Wash. Feb. 27-Mar. 1, Coughlin won three individual events, breaking her own American, NCAA and Cal school record in the 100 free with a time of 47.42, then lowering it to 47.00 leading off the freestyle relay.

In all, Coughlin set three world, seven American and three NCAA records during the 2002-03 season. In three seasons at Cal, Coughlin has nine national titles and a perfect Pac-10 dual meet race record (43-0).

Additional honors she earned last season include the 2002 Female "World Swimmer of the Year" by Swimming World magazine and 2002 US Swimmer of the Year by USA Swimming.

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