March 9, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. - Four members of the 2007 University of North Carolina men's swimming team have qualified for the NCAA Championships which will be held at the University of Minnesota March 15-17. The Tar Heel quartet includes sophomore Hank Browning of Cincinnati, Ohio, freshman Jeff James of Chapel Hill, N.C., junior Philip Owen of Scottsdale, Ariz., and freshman Chip Peterson of Pine Knoll Shores, N.C.

Browning, Owen and Peterson all qualified as individuals and the Tar Heels' 800-yard freestyle relay unit also earned a bid.

The freestyle relay is seeded 16th with a time of 6:30.18. The relay includes Browning, James, Peterson and Owen.

Browning qualified individually in three events. He is seeded 14th in the 500-yard freestyle at 4:19.99, 21st in the 200-yard freestyle at 1:36.43 and 25th in the 1650-yard freestyle at 15:16.96.

Peterson is UNC's top seed at 10th in the 1650-yard freestyle at 15:05.28. He is seeded No. 25 in the 500-yard freestyle at 4:21.74.

Owen is seeded 17th in the 1650 at 15:10.73 and 44th in the 500 at 4:24.32.