July 28, 2003

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina's men's and women's swimmers have been busy in the past few weeks competing at various sectional meets around the country looking to make qualifying times for next month's U.S. Swimming Summer National Championships.

Rising sophomores Chad Ames and Meghan Nystrand both made national qualifying times at sectionals with Ames making it in three events. Sophomores Jon Van Assen and Patrick Woodruff had top times in their events as well. Several returning Tar Heel standouts continued their usual outstanding swimming in summer meets and will be represented as well. Recent graduate Sean Quinn and rising senior Yuri Suguiyama both won events at sectional meets.

Western Sectionals, Mt. Hood, Ore.

Patrick Woodruff, 2nd in 200 Breast, 2:25.26, US OPEN QUALIFYING TIME, 10th in 800 Free, 8:38.91.

Central Sectonals, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Elizabeth Bruce, 4th in 100 & 200 Breast 1:13.89 & 2:38.22. 7th in 200 IM, 2:25.97

Central Sectionals, Indianapolis, Ind.

Jon Albrecht, 4th in 100 Free, 53.11, 11th in 200 Free, 1:57.40.

Eastern Sectionals, Baltimore, Md.

Yuri Suguiyama, 1st in 400 Free 4:02.09; 2nd in 200 Free , 1:54.98; 2nd in 800 Free, 8:27.05.

Jessie Brosch, 2nd in 100 Fly, 1:03.98, Top seed going into Finals in 200 Fly, 2:16.89.

Eastern Sectionals, Buffalo, NY.

Jon Van Assen, 3rd in 100 Fly, 56.54; 4th in 100 Free & 200 Free, 53.33 & 1:55.67. 5th in 200 Back, 2:10.48.

Southern Sectionals, Athens, Ga.

Sean Quinn, 1st in 200 Breast, 2:18.33; 5th in 100 Breast, 1:05.16.

Michael Pigassou, 8th in 100 Free, 52.33.

Griff Helfrich, 9th in 100 Breast, 1:06.00, 15th in 200 Fly, 2:06.27.

Chad Ames, 3rd in 100 Fly, 55.53; 4th in 200 IM 2:07.91, 6th in 200 Fly, 2:03.81, 7th in 400 IM, 4:36.11.

Jimmy Owens, 6th in 100 Back, 59.27, 16th in 100 Fly, 57.03.

Casey Coble, 13th in 400 IM, 4:39.79.

Eddy Matkovich, 14th in 100 Free, 52.99.

Sinisa Haberle, 16th in 200 Breast, 2:28.13.

Reid Owen, 9th in 800 Free, 8:29.24, 13th in 1500 Free, 16:29.98.

John Hartmann, 6th in 200 Back, 2:06.87, 8th in 100 Back, 59.32, 8th in 400 IM, 4:37.31, 14th in 200 IM, 2:09.64.

Kathleen Quinn, 7th in 200 Back, 2:21.46, 10th in 400 IM, 5:00.57.

Becky Acker, 3rd in 200 Breast, 2:36.33, 5th in 100 Breast, 1:13.94, 9th in 400 IM, 5:00.42.

Meghan Nystrand, 4th in 100 Back, 1:05.27, 6th in 200 Back, 2:21.50.

Kelly Weeks, 4th in 200 Fly, 2:16.47, 6th in 1500 Free, 17:19.01.

Also, other Tar Heels competing were Gena Bittner, Emily Carroll, Mary Margaret Gamblin, Virginia Hanson, Allison Herman, Courtney Lewis, Leila Martin, Justin Donato, Eric Mohr and Dan Vick.