University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Men's Swimmers Land 11 On ACC Top 50 List
August 20, 2002 | Swimming & Diving
Aug. 20, 2002
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--Eleven University of North Carolina swimmers headline the list of the 50 greatest Atlantic Coast Conference men's swimmers and divers of all time, announced Tuesday by the ACC. UNC's representatives date back to NCAA champion Phil Drake who began swimming at Carolina in 1953 and extend to Trevor Runberg from the late 1990s, a former ACC Swimmer of the Year.
Amongst the honorees are NCAA champions Drake along with Charlie Krepp and Phil Riker. Riker is one of four Olympians on the team, joined by Thompson Mann, Yann deFabrique (France) and David Monasterio (Puerto Rico). Mann was the first man in history to swim the 100-meter backstroke in under one minute. He did so while winning a gold medal on the U.S.'s 4x100 meter medley relay at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.
Other UNC selections were John Davis, Eric Ericson, Kenny Ireland and Harrison Merrill. Davis is one of the most decorated swimmers in ACC history. He won 11 ACC individual titles at the conference championship meets, more than any other male swimmer in league lore. Ericson is one of only two Carolina men's swimmers to be named a first-team All-America all four years he competed.
"I'm very proud of the large number of UNC student-athletes named to the team," said Frank Comfort, the head coach at North Carolina since 1977. and coach of six swimmers on the list. "This is an amazingly representative list and brings great honor to the history of swimming at North Carolina. I want to thank the ACC for organizing the teams and the celebration of the 50th year of the Atlantic Coast Conference."
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, the ACC is recognizing the all-time greatest athletes in conference history. Teams will be announced through August and September. The ACC Top 50 women's swimming and diving team will be announced on Wednesday.
Following is the complete list of Tar Heel honorees:
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John Davis (1988-91, Weston, Conn.) was a first-team All-America in the 200 free and 800-free relay and honorable mention in the 400 free relay in 1987-88. Davis was an honorable mention All-America in the 200-free relay and 800-free relay in 1989-90 and 1990-91. He was the Most Valuable Swimmer at the ACC Championships and the ACC Co-Swimmer-of-the-Year in 1989-90.
Yann deFabrique (1992-95, Boynton Beach, Fla.) was a first-team All-America in the 200 free and 800-free relay and honorable mention in the 500 free, 200 fly and 400-free relay in 1992-93. He was an honorable mention All-America in the 200 and 500 free and 200 fly in 1993-94 and in the 800-free relay in 1994-95.
Phil Drake (1953-55, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was a first-team All-America in the 200 fly and 300-medley relay in 1954-55. He won the ACC championship in the 200 fly in 1954-55. Drake also won the NCAA crown in the 200 fly in 1955, bringing UNC its first national champion in swimming.
Eric Ericson (1981-84, Wilmington, Del.) was a first-team All-America in the 100 back in 1980-81 and 1981-82 and the 100 and 200 back in 1982-83 and 1983-84. He won the ACC championships in the 100 back in 1980-81; the 100 and 200 back and 400-medley relay in 1981-82, 1982-83 and 1983-84; and the 400 free relay in 1982-83. One of only two swimmers in UNC history to be a four-year first-team All-America.
Kenny Ireland (1978-81, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) was a first-team All-America in the 100 back in 1979-80 and the 200 back in 1978-79 and 1979-80. Ireland won the ACC championships in the 100 and 200 back in 1978-79 and 1979-80; the 500 free, 400-free relay and 800-free relay in 1979-80; and the 200 back, 400-medley relay and 800-free relay in 1980-81. ACC Championships MVP in 1979.
Charlie Krepp (1955-57, Baltimore, Md.) was a first-team All-America in the 100 and 200 back and 300-medley relay in 1954-55; the 100 and 200 back and 200 IM in 1955-56; and the 100 and 200 back and 400-medley relay in 1956-57. Krepp won the NCAA titles in both the 100 and 200 back in 1957.
Thompson Mann (1962-64, Chesapeake, Va.) was first-team All-America in the 100 and 200 back in 1961-62 and 1963-64, 100 back in 1962-63 and 400-medley and 400-free relays in 1963-63. He won ACC championships in the100 and 200 back and 400-medley relay in 1961-62; 100 back, 200 IM and 400-free relay in 1962-63; and the 100 and 200 back, 200 IM and 400-medley relay in 1963-64.
Harrison Merrill (1965-65, Atlanta, Ga.) was a first-team All-America in the 200 free in 1962-63, the 100 and 200 free and the 400-free relay in 1963-64 and the 400-free relay in 1963-64. Merrill won ACC championships in the 100 and 200 free and 400 IM in 1962-63 and 1963-64, the 400-free relay in 1962-63 and the 500 free and 400-free relay in 1964-64.
David Monasterio (1990-93, Ponce, Puerto Rico) was a first-team All-America in the 200 free and 200 fly in 1990-91 and the 800-free relay in 1992-93. He was an honorable mention All-America in the 800-free relay in 1989-90, 1990-91 and 1991-92, 500 free and 200 fly in 1991-92 and the 500 free in 1992-93. He was Swimmer-of-the-Year in the ACC in 1990-91.
