Chad Ames

Position:
Butterfly, Individual Medley, Freestyle
Height:
6-3
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Crawfordsville, Ind.
High School:
Crawfordsville

Career Best Times: 1:38.42 in the 200-yard freestyle; 4:29.27 in the 500-yard freestyle; 49.08 in the 100-yard butterfly,; 1:47.63 in the 200-yard butterfly; 1:50.05 in the 200-yard individual medley; 58.41 in the 100-yard breaststroke; 2:07.91 in the 200-yard breaststroke.

General: Three-time returning letter winner who is arguably Carolina's most versatile swimmers...each of the last two years he has been UNC's top point scorer from the previous year's ACC Championships...competed in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in both fly events...a 2005 U.S. World Championships Trials finalist in the 200-meter fly...first Tar Heel swimmer under Coach Frank Comfort from the state of Indiana...ranked No. 1 on the Tar Heel team last year in the 200 IM, second in the 200 fly and third in the 200 free...swam for coach Gus Arzner at Sugar Creek Swim Club where he competed in the freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke and individual medley...played club water polo for four years before enrolling at Carolina.

2004-05: One of the team's top point scorers at the ACC Championships...swam the third leg of the 800-yard freestyle relay, recording a 1:38.45 split and helping the relay to a second-place finish...took sixth place in the 200-yard butterfly...made the championship final and took eighth place in the 200-yard individual medley...in the 200-yard freestyle he placed 14th in 1:39.84...also anchored the 400-yard freestyle relay...made Dean's List in the fall semester...tapped for ACC Academic Honor Roll.

2003-04: One of three Tar Heel men to swim at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials...swam in U.S.S. Senior Nationals in four events...was a big point producer at the ACC Championships...finished fourth in the 200-yard butterfly with a career top time of 1:47.63...led off the second-place 800-yard free relay team with a 1:38.86 split...made the championship final of the 200-yard freestyle and placed sixth in 1:38.42...won the consolation final of the 200-yard individual medley for ninth place overall...also made the Dean's List.

2002-03: Scored in three events at the 2003 ACC Championships...placed 16th in the 200-yard individual medley (1:52.33)...finished 10th in the 100-yard butterfly (49.64)...copped 14th in the 200-yard butterfly (1:51.84)...swam three events at 2003 Senior Nationals...named to the Dean's List in the spring semester of 2003.

Prep: Graduated May 22, 2002 from Crawfordsville High School...swam the 200 IM and 100 fly there and served as team captain...Indiana high school champion in 100 fly and runnerup in the 200 IM...team captain...finaled in events eight times at the state championships...eight-time All-America selection...ranked fourth nationally in high school ranks in 100 fly...set 12 high school pool records and seven school records...placed third in the 100 fly at junior nationals...U.S.S. sectional title winner in the 200 free...qualified for U.S.S. senior nationals while still in high school...National Scholastic All-America...honor diploma with 3.7 GPA...National Honor Society member

Personal: Given name is Chad Matthew Ames...born September 8, 1983 in Key West, Fla....son of Terry and Jean Ames...has one brother...exercise and sports science and psychology double major...wants a career in physical therapy...hobbies include boating and skiing...athletes he most admires are Michael Jordan and Lance Armstrong...biggest sports thrill was competing in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in Long Beach, Calif. against what he calls the best swimmers in the world.