Francie O’Leary Haffner

Sometimes it’s confusing when a college swimming team lists one of its standout athletes as a “14-time All-American’’ or something like that.
Such is the case with Catalina High School graduate Francie O’Leary Haffner, who is listed in the Arizona Wildcats record books as a “14-time All-American.’’
It sounds like Katie Ledecky or Natalie Coughlin. Can that be true?
But if you go through the UA swimming record books you find that Francie was indeed a 14-time All-American.
Here’s the roll-call:
1986, fourth in NCAA 400 freestyle.
1986, 7th in NCAA 800 freestyle.
1986, 12th in NCAA 1500 freestyle.
1986, 14th in 400 freestyle relay.
You get the picture.
Over Francie’s UA career, 1986-89, she finished in the NCAA’s Top 16 – that’s official All-American status – 14 times. Her specialty was the 200 freestyle, in which she finished in the Top 10 all four seasons.
She became the UA team captain in 1988. Additionally, Francie set a UA record in the 200 freestyle and was The National Champion in the 200 meter free in 1987.
That wasn’t all the ex-Catalina Trojan accomplished in her swimming career.
In high school, she became the top female swimmer in Tucson history to that point. She set state records in the 100 and 200 freestyle events. She was a state champion three times in the 100 and 200 free.
Upon becoming a Wildcat, Francie won the Pan Pacific Amateur in the 200 free as part of team USA. She also became the USA Long Course national champion in 1987, and was selected to Team USA in 1985, 1987 and 1989.
She swam in the 1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials.
After her college days, Francie has become one of the top Masters swimmers in the country, finishing in the Top 10 at national championship meets on multiple occasions in the 100 and 200 freestyle events. Multiple events? How about 59 times? Amazing.
Today she is the Aquatics Director at the Stafford Hills Swim Club in suburban Portland, Oregon, a certified United States Masters Swimming coach.