A native of Effingham, Ill., Braunecker was an All-State pitcher and team captain at Effingham High School before moving on to Vincennes (Ind.) University. He came to UALR prior to the 1990 season and saved a school-record 13 games as a junior to help lead the Trojans to a 33-20 mark and a school-record .623 winning percentage. 

He made 25 appearances his junior year, compiling a 2-3 record and a 3.20 earned run average with 22 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. Prior to his senior season, Braunecker became the first Trojan to be designated team captain under coach Hogan. The 1991 season saw Braunecker go 3-3 with 29 strikeouts over 30.1 innings of work. He added a team-leading eight saves to bring his career total to a school-record 21. He made 47 relief appearances during his UALR career, finishing with a 5-6 record, 21 saves, a 4.53 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 55.2 innings pitched (8.2 strikeouts per nine).

He signed with the Montreal Expos organization as an undrafted free agent following his senior year, and went 4-4 for the New York-Penn League champion Jamestown Expos. Braunecker also played in the Cleveland Indians organization before returning to UALR as an assistant coach for two seasons under Hogan. 

In 1997, Braunecker joined Stephens Sports Management, Inc., where he worked until 2001. He left the company in 2001 to create Braunecker Sports Council, and has since founded a second company, Frontline Sports Management. His client list includes 2008 AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee, 2009 World Series champion A.J. Burnett, Dustin Moseley, Jeff Francis, Andrew Miller and Jeff Samardzija.

Braunecker graduated from UALR in 1994 with a degree in psychology. He and his wife, Shelley, have two kids, Ellie and Rhett.