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FEDERAL WAY, Wash. - For the second year in a row, Auburn's Cesar Cielo was named the NCAA Swimmer of the Year following his performance at the NCAA Championships.

Cielo, a junior from St. Barbara, Brazil, earned seven All-America honors while winning four NCAA titles. He also set to Auburn, NCAA and U.S. Open records at the meet.

"I don't know how many swimmers have been voted NCAA Swimmer of the Year two years in a row, but not very many," said Auburn head coach Richard Quick. "He is extraordinarily deserving and he is one of the best swimmers to ever swim in NCAA swimming competition."

Quick said one of the things that will make Cielo stand out is the legacy that he leaves behind as one of the fastest collegiate swimmers of all-time.

"He will be remembered a very long time because of the breakthroughs that he has had in his career," said Quick. "To break 41 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle and to go under 18.5 in the 50-yard freestyle, that is unbelievable."

Cielo opened the NCAA meet on Thursday night by breaking his own U.S Open record in the 50 freestyle, shattering his record of 18.69 with a new mark of 18.47. He then closed out the meet on Saturday by becoming the first man ever to break 41 seconds in the 100 freestyle as he touched in with a time of 40.92, setting a new U.S. Open record.

"I do not think about that during the season, I never practice trying to be swimmer of the year," said Cielo. "I just try to get faster and faster and I think that is the key, not to have a certain time to go, just try to do your best all the time."

Looking back at the week, Cielo said he is thankful for the support from his teammates and the guidance from the coaching staff in helping him reach this point.

"I am really happy with what I have achieved this weekend, to swim 13 times, that is very hard," said Cielo. "It feels like all the work we have put into it paid off and I am just thankful for my coaches and my teammates to push me. It is great, this is definitely the happiest moment of my career."

Cielo's four NCAA titles at the meet give him 10 on his career, making him the Auburn record-holder for NCAA titles won. He passes his coach, Auburn sprints coach Brett Hawke, for the honor as Hawke earned nine NCAA titles during his Auburn career.

As a freshman, Cielo swam on Auburn's winning 200 free relay team, and last season he followed with NCAA titles in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay and 200 medley relay. This season, he repeated in four of those events, winning the 50 free and 100 free while swimming on Auburn's winning 200 free relay and 200 medley relay teams.

By repeating in the 50 and 100 freestyles, Cielo becomes the first swimmer since Matt Biondi in 1986-87 to win both titles in consecutive years.

With the NCAA Championships complete, Cielo now turns his attention to preparing for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China where he will compete for Brazil's national team. He will return to action this week, swimming his first post-NCAA long course meet at the Ohio Grand Prix.

The Auburn men's swimming and diving team finished fifth at this year's NCAA Championships, scoring 316 points. Arizona won its first-ever NCAA team championship in the meet, scoring 500.5 points.