Coan Swims Into The Carolina Record Books

Thursday, February 28

Greensboro, N.C.

All Day

North Carolina

ACC Championships (Men's Swimming)

Eli Coan

Photo by: Jake Pierce

February 28, 2019 | Swimming & Diving

Day Two Prelim Results Day Two Final Results

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Sophomore Eli Coan swam his way into the North Carolina record books at the ACC Men's Swimming & Diving Championships on Thursday, clocking a lifetime-best 19.75 in the 50-yard freestyle prelims for the No. 5 all-time performance in UNC history.

"Eli [Coan] has been on one of the greatest teammates you could ask for," UNC head coach Rich DeSelm said. "He works hard, he listens, he's coachable and he loves to race. I think everything he achieved today is a reflection of what he has put into this season. Eli was at Gardner-Webb University last year and he contacted us when both the head coach and assistant coach left early last summer. He had strong grades so we had him come up for a visit and he was just a really genuine, sincere young man interested in getting an education, being a part of a team and competing for a Division I program. Clearly it all worked out and he's just gotten better and better over the course of the season with some great coaching from Mike Blum and Michael Baric. For him to go the fifth-fastest time in UNC history is a great reward for his hardwork and commitment. It certainly helped the team. He came in as a 20-point swimmer and now he swam the fifth-fastest time at UNC, made his summer nationals cut and led off a relay so I'm very, very proud of him."

"I knew going into the meet that I was going to drop some time, but I couldn't imagine how fast the race was going to be," Coan said. "I knew that I was feeling good. We had a good taper and Coach [Mike] Blum and I had a good strategy so we felt confident. I'm just trying to bring some energy to the team because Carolina has become a home-away-from-home for me. I love my teammates and my coaches and my school."

Coan, a native of Clarkesville, Ga., would go on to finish 16th overall with a time of 19.85 in the 50-yard freestyle consolation final and swam a 19.80 leadoff split in the men's 200-yard freestyle relay.

In the last two dual meets of the regular season, Coan captured huge wins in the 50 free against ACC rivals the Virginia Cavaliers and the Duke Blue Devils. He will compete in the 100-yard butterfly on Friday and the 100-yard freestyle Saturday.

"I think everybody's really optimistic about the next two days," Coan said. "I think we're going to see a lot of personal bests and I hope I can keep on that trend."

HOW TO FOLLOW ALONG
Fans can follow @uncswimdive on Twitter to receive information as results are made available. Live results will also be available online. A meet recap and results will be posted on GoHeels.com following the completion of competition.

Live Streaming
ACC Network Extra will live stream action nightly on the final three days (Feb. 28-Mar. 2, 6:00 until 8:30 p.m.). Legendary swimming analyst Rowdy Gaines will again be on hand for coverage during the men's week of ACC swimming competition. A three-time Olympic Gold medalist and a member of the both the U.S. Swimming and International Swimming Hall of Fame, Gaines will complement the calls of veteran play-by-play announcer Dean Linke, who will return to the Greensboro Aquatic Center for the men's action .

Live Stream Links
Thursday | Friday | Saturday

Additional Info
Live Results | Schedule of Events (PDF) | Meet Notes (PDF) |
ACC Championship Central | ACC Weekly Release (PDF) |
ACC Women's Swimming & Diving Championship Results (PDF)

FRIDAY EVENT SCHEDULE
Prelims - 10 a.m. / Finals - 6 p.m.
• 100-Yard Butterfly
• 400-Yard IM
• 200-Yard Freestyle
• 100-Yard Breaststroke
• 100-Yard Backstroke
• 400-Yard Medley Relay

UNC Men's Swimmers at 2019 ACC Championships
Valdas Abaliksta (So.) • Siauliai, Lithuania (Juliaus Janonio Gymnasium)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Breast, 200-Yard Breast
Tom Bilden (Sr.) • Chapel Hill, N.C. (Carrboro)
• Events: 500-Yard Free, 100-Yard Fly, 200-Yard Fly
Thomas Bretzmann (Fr.) • Chapel Hill, N.C. (Chapel Hill)
• Events: 200-Yard Free, 500-Yard Free, 1650-Yard Free, 400-Yard IM
Greg Brocato (Jr.) • Ambler, Pa. (La Salle College)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Free, 100-Yard Fly
Tucker Burhans (Fr.) • Clemmons, N.C. (West Forsyth)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Free, 100-Yard Fly
Eli Coan (So.) • Clarkesville, Ga. (Veritas / Gardner Webb)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Free, 100-Yard Fly
Patrick Cusick (Sr.) • Alpharetta, Ga. (Alpharetta)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Back, 200-Yard Back, 100-Yard Fly, 200-Yard Fly
Dimitrios Dimitriou (So.) • Athens, Greece (Protypo Ahtinon)
• Events: 200-Yard Free, 500-Yard Free, 1650-Yard Free
Tyler Hill (So.) • Chappaqua, N.Y. (Horace Greeley)
• Events: 100-Yard Free, 100-Yard Back, 100-Yard Fly, 200-Yard IM
Alvin Jiang (So.) • Colleyville, Texas (Cistercian Preparatory School)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Fly, 100-Yard Back
Daniel Koenigsperger (So.) • Auckland, New Zealand (Sacred Heart College)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Free, 200-Yard Free, 500-Yard Free
Nick Loomis (Sr.) • St. Augustine, Fla. (St. Augustine)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Fly, 200-Yard Fly
Jack Messenger (So.) • Raleigh, N.C. (Needham Broughton)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Free, 200-Yard Free
Nick Palmer (So.) • Peachtree City, Ga. (Starr's Mill)
• Events: 200-Yard Free, 500-Yard Free, 1650-Yard Free
Jacob Rauch (Fr.) • Charlotte, N.C. (South Mecklenburg)
• Events: 100-Yard Breast, 200-Yard Breast, 200-Yard Back, 200-Yard IM
Austin Sellers (Sr.) • Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit)
• Events: 100-Yard Breast, 200-Yard Breast, 200-Yard IM
Sterling Smith (Fr.) • Silver Spring, Md. (DeMatha Catholic)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Free, 100-Yard Breast
Tomas Sungaila (Fr.) • Kaunas, Lithuania (Jono Basanaviciaus Gimnazia)
• Events: 50-Yard Free, 100-Yard Free, 200-Yard Free
Chris Thames (So.) • Dunwoody, Ga. (Dunwoody)
• Events: 500-Yard Free, 100-Yard Back, 200-Yard Back

UNC Men's Divers at 2019 ACC Championships
Bryan Allen (Jr.) • San Jose, Calif. (Saint Teresa)
• Events: One-Meter, Three-Meter, Platform
Sean Burston (Sr.) • Stamford, Conn. (Westhill)
• Events: One-Meter, Three-Meter, Platform
Andrew Owsiany (Jr.) • Spring City, Pa. (The Episcopal Academy)
• Events: One-Meter, Three-Meter, Platform