Sean Quinn

Position:
Breaststroke
Height:
6-0
Weight:
165
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Lancaster, S.C.

The Tar Heel school record holder in the 200-yard breaststroke, 100-meter breaststroke and 200-meter breaststroke, Sean Quinn, in now in fourth official year as an assistant coach for the Carolina swimming program following six years in which he served as one of the program's volunteer coaches. Quinn took on added duties in the summer of 2010 when he was named the head coach of North Carolina Aquatic Club, a prestigious U.S. Swimming club team based in Chapel Hill, N.C. Quinn has worked to build NCAC into one of the top age group programs in the country, boasting multiple Nationals, Junior Nationals and Olympic Trials qualifiers.

In 2006-07, Quinn played a key role in the Carolina women capturing the ACC championship. Prior to becoming the overall head coach, Quinn was the head age group coach for the North Carolina Aquatic Club. He was selected as a North Carolina Zone Team coach in 2009. Quinn helped coach the North Carolina team to a third-place finish in that competition in Orlando, Fla.

A native of Lancaster, S.C., and 1999 alumnus of Lancaster High School, Quinn was a three-time All-America selection as a Tar Heel, earning those honors in 2000, 2002 and 2003. His best NCAA finish was an eighth place in the 200 breaststroke as a freshman in 2000. He also finished 10th in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships in 2002.

Quinn, a tri-captain of the 2002-03 Tar Heel team, won a silver medal in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He finished fifth in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. He was offered a slot on the United States Team at the 2002 Short Course World Championships in Moscow. During his freshman year at UNC, he competed in the Short Course World Championships in Athens, Greece. Before enrolling at Carolina, he swam in the 1999 U.S. Junior World Championships in Barcelona on a U.S. team coached by former Tar Heel head mentor Frank Comfort.

Quinn won ACC individual championships in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2000 and 2003. He holds the Tar Heel school record in the 200-yard breaststroke at 1:56.39 and he ranks ninth in school history in the 100-yard breaststroke with a career best time of 55.14. A four-time All-ACC selection, Quinn swam for the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club while in high school and was coached there by Pat Hogan. Quinn was named Carolina's most outstanding swimmer in 2000 and 2002 and the team's most valuable swimmer in 2003. His sister Kathleen swam for four years at UNC and was a tri-captain of the 2004-05 women's team.

Born May 20, 1981, Quinn is married to Beth Colacurcio Quinn, herself a former UNC swimmer.