Jimmy Owens

Position:
Backstroke, Butterfly
Height:
6-1
Weight:
180
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Charlotte, N.C.
High School:
Providence

Career Best Times: 49.67 in the 100-yard backstroke; 1:50.98 in the 200-yard backstroke; 49.67 in the 100-yard butterfly; 1:50.98 in the 200-yard butterfly.

General: A three-time returning letterman for Carolina in the backstroke and butterfly events...missed the 2001-02 campaign after an early season bike injury...one of UNC's top sprint backstrokers...ranks seventh all-time on UNC charts in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 49.67...continues to improve each year, setting two personal bests last season...swam for the Mecklenburg Aquatic Club under coach Pat Hogan...finalist at the junior championships in the 100 backstroke while swimming for MAC.

2003-04: Swam another excellent ACC Championship meet...took 13th in the 100-yard backstroke with at time of 50.46...finished 16th in the 100-yard butterfly...placed 19th in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:52.17...swam the backstroke leg of the 200-yard medley relay.

2002-03: Had a magnificent ACC Championship meet...placed seventh in the 100 backstroke at 50.16, 13th in the 100 butterfly at 49.85 and 15th in the 200 backstroke at 1:51.01...swam the backstroke legs on the medley relays at ACCs as the 200 medley relay took third and the 400 medley relay placed fourth.

2001-02: Missed the entire year after an early season leg injury suffered in a bike accident.

2000-01: Voted the team's Most Improved Swimmer...finished 12th in the 100 fly, 13th in the 100 back and 15th in the 200 back at the ACC Championships...posted three career best times in those events at the ACC meet.

Prep: Graduated on June 1, 2000 from Providence High School...swam for his high school team for four years and was team captain as well as MVP his senior year...served in student government. Personal: Given name is James Luther Owens...was born April 16, 1982 in Chapel Hill, N.C....nicknamed "JRide"...is the son of Patrick and Cheryl Owens...his father swam for the United States Military Academy...his biggest sports thrill was winning back to back North Carolina state high school team championships in 1997 and '98...both championships were with former Tar Heel teammate Hal Wansley and the first one was with another former UNC teammate, Brad Kline...hobbies include sleeping and eating...athlete he most admires and person with the most influence on his athletic career is former Tar Heel swimming captain Seth Laughlin...economics and political science double major...plans a career in finance...favorite movie is The Big Lebowski...favorite TV show is Seinfeld.