Erika Acuff

Position:
Fly/Breast/IM
Height:
5-8
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
West Censhohocken, Pa.

Career Best Times: 2:00.36, 200 IM; 4:15.57, 400 IM; 2:15.9, 200 Breast; 2:01.46, 200 Fly, 1:50.11 200 Free.

General: Elected co-captain of 2000-01 team after red-shirting 1999-00 season... 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier...has been one of the key performers on the Carolina team...named a first-team All-America in 1997, 1998 and 1999...spent the summer of 1998 training in Colorado Springs, Colo. at the U.S. Swimming national distance training camp, gaining invaluable experience there...three-time returning letter winner...one of the top swimmers in the nation her first three seasons at Carolina...an outstanding individual medley competitor who also swims middle distance freestyle and the butterfly and is one of the team's top breaststrokers.

1998-99: Was named the recipient of the Jamerson Memorial Award as the squad's most valuable swimmer...had the ACC's best time in the 200-yard individual medley at 2:00.88...was the ACC champion in the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.88) and the 400-yard individual medley (4:16.04)...set a new ACC meet record in the 400 IM with that time...was a member of UNC's ACC champion 800 free relay team...also finished fourth in the 200-yard breaststroke at the ACC meet...All-ACC selection...a first-team All-America selection as well...finished fifth in the 400-yard individual medley at the NCAA Championships with a time of 4:15.58...was 20th in the 200 IM at 2:01.71 and 21st in the 200 fly at 2:01.46...was a member of Carolina's 800-yard freestyle relay team which finished 12th at the NCAA meet while setting a school record.

1997-98: One of the leaders on a Carolina team which improved to 12th place in the NCAA standings...ACC champion in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.55)...was a member of UNC relay teams that won ACC titles in the 400-yard medley relay and the 200-yard medley relay...swam on the second place 800 free relay team and third place 400 free relay team at the ACC meet...scored 90.5 points at the ACC Championships, second highest total on the team...first-team All-ACC selection...scored 26.5 points at the NCAA Championships, second highest total on the team...first-team All-America selection in the 200-yard individual medley, finishing eighth at 2:00.82...earned honorable mention All-America honors in the 400 IM, finishing 10th at 4:15.57...also swam on the 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay, all of which placed 13th at NCAA's...also swam on the 800-yard freestyle relay, which placed 12th...all four relays earned honorable mention All-America honors...established a school and Atlantic Coast Conference record in the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.36)...also established school records as part of the 200-yard medley relay (1:41.92), the 400-yard medley relay (3:42.44) and the 800-yard freestyle relay (7:19.51)...the 200-yard medley relay and the 400-yard medley relay teams also set Atlantic Coast Conference and ACC Meet records.

1996-97: 1997 ACC Women’s Swimming Rookie of the Year...was one of the top freshman swimmers in the nation...won ACC championships in the 200-yard individual medley (2:01.09), 400-yard individual medley (4:16.30) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:15.99)...was a member of UNC relay teams which won ACC titles in 200-yard free relay and the 400-yard medley relay...swam on 800-yard free relay team which finished third and 400-yard free relay team which placed second at the conference meet...scored 96.5 points at the ACC Championships, second highest total on team...first-team All-ACC selection...scored 15.5 points at NCAA Championships, second highest total on team...first-team All-America selection in 400 IM, finishing seventh in 4:18.23...placed 30th in the 200 IM at 2:02.97 and 34th in the 200 breaststroke at 2:19.39...also swam on 400 and 800 freestyle relay teams, which finished 16th and 11th respectively, earning honorable mention All-America honors...swam on 200 free relay which finished 17th at NCAA’s and 400 medley relay which placed 17th...set school, ACC and ACC meet records in 200-yard breaststroke at 2:15.99...swam on 400 medley relay team which set school, ACC and ACC meet records at 3:44.12...set ACC meet record in 400-yard IM at 4:16.30...swam on 200 free relay team which set an ACC meet and Koury Natatorium record at 1:32.45.

Prep: Graduated from Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pa. on June 13, 1996...an outstanding all-around athlete at Episcopal...played left wing on the field hockey team her freshman through senior years, swam four years and played three years of lacrosse...was selected to swim in the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association High School Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., June 7-8, 1996...played on Episcopal’s 1993 and 1994 Inter AC league championship teams.

Personal: Given name is Erika Landstrom Acuff...nicknamed "Sparky" and “The Rika”...has two sisters...was born May 29, 1978 in Bryn Mawr, Pa....the daughter of John Acuff and Karen Acuff...her father played football for the University of Miami and the New Orleans Saints...as a child actress and model, she made commercials in New York City through her freshman year of high school...appeared in commercials for Hawaiian Punch, Hillshire Farms and Dr. Pepper...also appeared on Nickelodeon at age 14...hobbies include dancing, shopping, playing field hockey, eating and watching NASCAR diving...athlete she most admires is Michael Jordan...biggest sports thrill was making the semifinals at the 2000 Olympic Trials in the 200-meter individual medley, saying that it was really inspiring...majoring in communications...would like to become an actress.