NORTH LIBERTY - In an effort to punish opponents in his upcoming senior campaign, Charles City native Greg Brunner, himself, has become a glutton for punishment.

Gone are all those late-night dates with delivery pizzas, and mid-afternoon buffets of Burger King.

In their place are two-a-day sessions of wind-sprints and squat-lifts, starting around 8 a.m.

"I've given up about everything," Brunner said after a recent Prime Time League contest. "I rarely eat pizza anymore - that was the big thing I ate.

"I'm a big Iowa farm boy, so I love to eat large quantities once or twice a day," said the Iowa Hawkeye senior power forward, who averaged 14.7 points per game and a team-high 8.3 rebounds last season. "I've gotten down to like five (small) meals a day and picked up my workout regimen."

As a result, Brunner has carved nearly 20 pounds off his frame after tipping the scales at around 260 last winter.

The Hawkeye's new physique raised eyebrows back home in Charles City over the Fourth of July. After all, Greg used to nearly eat Tom and Gayle Brunner out of house and home as a youth.

"He used to use up his lunch money, then clean out his sister's lunch account at school," Gayle said with a laugh. "He was always very hungry, and ate anything that didn't have a name on it."

Brunner made the move to his slimmer self with an eye towards his post-collegiate career. Also, at the end of this month, the 22-year-old will try out for the USA Basketball World University Games team in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"He did the first three days by the book, and he saw immediate results," said Iowa's head strength coach for Olympic sports, Bill Maxwell, of Brunner's new workout, which incorporates cross-training and the use of a medicine ball. "Once he realized that, there was no holding him back."

And yes, Brunner admits he underwent his slim-down begrudgingly, at the request of coaches. But, after covering the court while breathing free and easy this summer, he's a believer in his new lifestyle.

"It's helped me out very much," said Brunner, who endured lengthy bouts with sinus infections that required adenoid surgery as a freshman. "I can get up and down the court and just my athleticism's back.

"I mean, at 260, it's hard to carry those extra 20 pounds. And, jumping-wise, it's a lot better than it was."

At 6-foot-7, 242 Brunner still won't be confused with any supermodel waifs, but one thing's for certain - he's noticeably cut.

The former Charles City Comet blazed a streak across the North Liberty Community Center's new gym on a recent Wednesday, looking undeniably lankier and leaner. He hit deep threes from the top of the key. He did pull-ups with ease, ramming the ball through the rim with authority on dunks.

It was clear to all in attendance in North Liberty that night, as it has all summer, that Brunner is a man who has undergone a metamorphosis: From a freshman huffing and puffing up the court at Florida State, to a leaner, meaner senior who's a threat from 20-feet on in.

And, apparently the big man's physique has inspired more than a few teammates.

"Guys are just really trying to get into shape," said teammate and Waterloo native Mike Henderson. "Everybody on our roster … Brunner's cut weight, I've cut weight, Jeff (Horner's) cut weight, Adam (Haluska's) cut weight. Erek (Hansen's) putting on weight."

Make no mistake, another reason for Brunner's transformation is that he wants to exit Carver-Hawkeye Arena leaving an impression on the fans. And, the senior, who was Iowa's leading rebounder in 22 of the Hawkeyes' contests last season, wants to take some memories with him when he passes through the arena's threshold for the final time.

After all said Brunner, "We haven't accomplished anything yet. I mean, NCAA Tournament? That's nothing. It's a huge honor, but … we want to go further than the first round - (and) we want Big Ten championships.

"The team we have, we have the ability to do it," Brunner added of Iowa, which returns all five of its starters from its final contest last March. "We just have to stay tough-minded, and play together, and stay together."

So if ascending to the Big Ten's upper echelon requires Brunner to stiff-arm a few second-helpings, so be it.

Contact Kelly Beaton at (319) 291-1456 or kelly.beaton@wcfcourier.com.