University of North Carolina Athletics
2011-12 Swimming & Diving Roster
Jesse Mendes
- Position:
- Distance Freestyle
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Chapel Hill, N.C.
- High School:
- Chapel Hill
General: Co-captain of the 2011-12 Tar Heels with fellow senior Jim Flannery...a top-flight distance freestyle specialist...three-year letterman...swam for Chapel Hill High School and the North Carolina Aquatic Club...Rising Star in Carolina Leadership Academy.
Long Course Highlights: Competed at the 2009 Speedo Sectionals in Knoxville, Tenn.
2010-11 (Junior): Earned third varsity letter...was team's academic team captain.
2009-10 (Sophomore): Excelled at the conclusion of the year...at the Triangle College Cup he placed second in the 400 IM, second in the 500 free (4:33.60) and third in the 1650 free (15:46.09)...took second place in the 1000 free in the dual meet versus NC State.
2008-09 (Freshman): Swam personal best times in the 500 free (4:32.55) and 400 IM (3:59.60) at the Tar Heel Last Chance Meet...named to the Dean's List in the fall semester of 2008.
Prep: Swam all four years while attending Chapel Hill High School...ran cross country for three years...had a four-year undefeated dual meet career as part of the CHHS team, finishing 29-0 over that time...team captain his senior year...helped lead the 2007-08 team to the North Carolina 4A state high school championship...two-time U.S. Swimming Scholastic All-America honoree...had 14 different citations on his high school's All-Conference Team...was the runner-up in the 2008 state championships in the 200-yard free...North Carolina state champion in the 500, 1000 and 1650-yard frees-tyles in 2008...was North Carolina Open Water Male Swimmer of the Year...
Personal: Name is O Jesse Nathan Mendes...son of O Robert and Nicole Mendes...was born November 17, 1989 in Melbourne, Fla. ...has one brother Bryce, a sophomore swimmer at UNC, and one sister who is a high school swimmer...biology major...his first name is O...every first male born in his family has the letter O as their first name...family hails from Caribbean island Trinidad and Tobago.
19 Questions With Senior O Jesse Mendes
Section #1: Swimming & Diving
1. The best thing about being a Tar Heel swimmer is being a part of the Tar Heel tradition.
2. My favorite thing about competing for Coach DeSelm is his wisdom of the sport.
3. Since last year the aspects of my training I've worked on the most are my turns and IM.
4. My best friend on another college swimming team is Wes Foltz at Towson University.
5. My greatest strength as a swimmer is my work ethic.
Section #2: Hobbies & Interests
1. Away from the pool and academic pursuits I like to spend time playing scrabble, chess, Super Smash Bros on N64, and watching movies.
2. If I could compete in another sport at UNC it would be golf.
3. The music act I'd most like to see in person is the Zac Brown Band.
4. The personal interest I have that might surprise my teammates is that I've eaten 53 chicken wings in one sitting, and last summer I conquered El Gigante and Ben and Jerry's Vermonster in one day.
Section #3: Food & Beverage
1. After a big meet, I'd like to eat at a buffet spread that included chicken wings, cotton candy, gummy worms, garlic mashed potatoes, filet mignon, Doritos, and Coca-Cola.
2. My favorite beverage is by far, without a question, Coca-Cola.
3. My favorite food made by a relative is Jeff James' chicken cordon bleu.
4. My favorite place to eat in Chapel Hill is Armadillo Grill.
5. My favorite guilty pleasure food wise is McDonalds.
Section #4: Personality
1. If I possessed the gift of time travel I'd like to go to 1300 Scotland.
2. My most prized personal possession is my LIVESTRONG band.
3. If I could go to dinner with a famous person it would be Jimmie Johnson.
4. My dream jobs are being a surgeon and the CEO of Coca-Cola.
5. The most interesting person I've met at UNC is Sean Lane.
