March 12, 2009

From Navy Sports Information

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy's Adam Meyer (Jr., Bethesda, Md.) and Erik Hunter (So., Placerville, Calif.) have been invited to compete in a combined six events at the 2009 NCAA Men's Swimming Championship. Their qualification for the March 26-28 championship that will be contested in College Station, Texas, became official late Wednesday night.

"I am extremely proud to see the efforts of Adam and Erik rewarded with an opportunity to race with the very best in the land in two weeks," said Navy men's swimming head coach Bill Roberts.

This marks the first time in five years that Navy has qualified a men's swimmer for the NCAA Championship. A total of four Mids advanced to the national meet in 2004, with the foursome earning Honorable Mention All-America accolades in two relay events at the championship.

Meyer advanced to the national championship by virtue of his `A' cut qualifying time of 1:42.54 in the 200 butterfly. He posted that time in winning the event at the recent Patriot League Championship. His clocking places him ninth in the event, just one second behind the top time of 1:41.46 set by Georgia's Mark Dylla.

In addition to competing in the 200 fly on the final day of the championship, Meyer also is entered into the 200 individual medley (day one) and 100 butterfly (day two) events. His time of 1:45.16 in the 200 IM places him 20th in the event field, while he is seeded 43rd in the 100 fly with a clocking of 47.33.

Navy's Adam Meyer

Meyer holds Navy and Patriot League records in each of those three events, as well as the best school and conference mark in the 200 breaststroke. He earned 2009 Patriot League Swimmer-of-the-Year laurels when he won the 200 IM and both butterfly event titles at the league championship.

Previously, Meyer competed in the 200 IM and 200 fly at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He won both of his trial heats and placed 17th and 19th, respectively, in the two events.

Hunter's championship week schedule will consist of the 500 freestyle on the opening day of the meet, the 400 individual medley on the second day and the 1,650 freestyle on the third and final day of the event. He is seeded 31st in the 500 free with his qualifying time of 4:18.56, 33rd in the 400 IM with a clocking of 3:51.24 and 23rd in the mile with a time of 14:58.72.

Hunter won the 500 free, the 400 IM and the 1,650 free titles at the 2009 Patriot League Championship.

Like Meyer, Hunter holds four school records. He has posted Navy-best times in the 500, 1,000, 1,650 freestyle and 400 individual medley events, with all but his 1,000 free clocking also being Patriot League records (because the 1,000 freestyle is not contested at either the conference or national meet, the league does not keep track of a record in the event).

The advancement of Meyer and Hunter brings the total number of Mids who will compete at the national swimming championship to four. Previously, Navy's Tara Chapmon (Jr., Virginia Beach, Va.) and Thuy-Mi Dinh (Jr., Anaheim, Calif.) qualified for the women's swimming championship that will be held March 19-21.