Tara Braden was a two-sport athlete at Penn State Behrend, making her mark on the swimming and diving team as well as the water polo team. In two years with the water polo team she amassed 155 saves and 138 steals. In swimming and diving, Braden held the top 10 times in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events, along with the top times in the 200 medley relay, 400 medley relay, and 400 and 800 freestyle relays. Braden was also a three-time AMCC All-Academic choice and four-time CWPA All-Academic Selection. She was honored with the Sportsmanship & Leadership Award and Behrend’s Female Athlete of the Year Award.Braden was a two-time captain with the swimming team before transitioning that leadership role to the water polo team in her senior year. That same year in water polo she also transitioned from a defender to the vacant goalie position for the good of her team. She earned CWPA Player of the Week for averaging 8.29 saves per game. In addition to her saves and steals, she finished with 27 goals and 27 assists for her career.
Competing in swimming and diving her sophomore year, she broke her own school record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:13.92 and a day later broke the 200 breaststroke record in 2:43.26 for the fourth time that season. In 2004, she managed her way onto the top 10 list for the 200IM, clocking in at 2:26.11 for the seventh fastest time.
At the time of graduation, Braden held the top 10 times in the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke. She also swam o