May 16, 2002

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Coach Frank Comfort of the University of North Carolina announced the addition of six recruits to the Tar Heels' women's swimming and diving program Thursday. These new Tar Heels have either signed national letters of intent or accepted offers of admission to the University beginning in the fall of 2002.

UNC will welcome Emily Carroll of Blue Ridge Summit, Pa., Megan Chenier of Goldsboro, N.C., Katie Lewis of Doylestown, Pa., Leila Martin of Cornelius, N.C., Meghan Nystrand of Knoxville, Tenn., and Gia Santoro of Stratford, Conn. this fall.

This group will join four recruits previously announced last fall. They were Elizabeth Bruce, Amanda Smith, Mary Margaret Gamblin and Allison Herman.

Two of the new additions are divers and will add their talents to diving coach's Nunzio Esposto's outstanding corps. They are Lewis and Santoro.

Carroll, who swims for Monocacy Aquatic Club has career best times of 24.37 in the 50-yard freestyle, 52.44 in the 100-yard freestyle, 1:51.74 in the 200-yard freestyle and 57.33 in the 100-yard butterfly.

Chenier swims for the Goldsboro Y and is the sister of Michael Chenier, a rising senior on the Tar Heels' men's team. She has career bests of 57.46 in the 100-yard butterfly, 2:06.44 in the 200-yard butterfly, 58.36 in the 100-yard backstroke, 2:06.06 in the 200-yard backstroke and 2:07.75 in the 200-yard individual medley.

Martin is a swimmer for New South Swimming. Her personal bests are 24.46 in the 50-yard freestyle, 52.13 in the 100-yard freestyle, 1:51.63 in the 200-yard freestyle, 58.67 in the 100-yard backstroke and 2:05.82 in the 200-yard backstroke.

Nystrand competes for the Pilot Aquatic Club. Her personal bests are 57.40 in the 100-yard backstroke and 2:01.03 in the 200-yard backstroke.