Jorden Merrilees

Position:
Distance Freestyle, Individual Medley
Height:
6-3
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
North Melbourne, Australia
High School:
Anglican Church Grammar School

JORDEN MERRILEES BIO

Career Best Times: 1:35.55 in the 200-yard freestyle; 4:16.72 in the 500-yard freestyle; 3:45.73 in the 400-yard individual medley; 1:43.15 in the 200-yard backstroke; 1:47.76 in the 200-meter freestyle; 3:51.48 in the 400-meter freestyle; 2:03.04 in the 200-meter individual medley; 4:25.27 in the 400-meter individual medley.

2016-17: Competed in the 2016 Australian Swimming Championships (Olympic Trials), narrowly missing out on a spot on the 4x200-meter freestyle relay at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

General: Swam for three years at Oakland University for coach Pete Houland before transferring to Carolina in 2016-17…holder of three school records and four Horizon League records.

2014-15 at Oakland University: Horizon League Swimmer of the Year…Horizon League Swimmer of the Championships.

2013-14 at Oakland University: Five-time Horizon League winner…Horizon League Champion in the 500 free, 200 back and 400 IM while adding relay wins in 400 free relay and 800 free relay…OU record holder in 400 IM with a time of 3:48.51, which was also a Horizon League record…OU record holder in 500 free with a time of 4:18.83, which was also a Horizon League record…posted a Horizon League record time of 1:45.19 in 200 back at HLs, a time that is fourth-fastest in OU history…Horizon League Swimmer of the Week (Jan. 28, Oct. 22)…swam the 1000 free during Xavier/Cleveland State dual Jan. 25 for his only swim at that distance on the year; his time of 9:21.56 in that race is fourth-fastest in team records.
2012-13 at Oakland University: Earned all-league honors at The Summit League Championships…named Newcomer of the Championships…won the 400 IM at the league meet with a time of 3:55.53…finished runner-up in the 500 freestyle and 200 backstroke…member of championship 800 free relay team.

Prep: Attended Anglican Church Grammar School where he was coached by Mark Lorrimer…team captain...two-time finalist in the Australian Age Swimming Championships…three-time gold medalist at the Queensland Short Course Championships in 2011…200 Free Greater Public Schools (GPS) Champion in 2011…captained high school team to a runner-up finish at the GPS Swim Meet…six-event qualifier for the 2012 Australian Olympic Team Trials… winner of the 2011 Sir Leslie Wilson Challenge Cup.

Club: Swam for Melbourne Vicentre where he was coached by Craig Jackson…swam in 2012 and 2016 Australian Olympic Trials…was a finalist at the 2016 Olympic Trials in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle events.

Personal: Full name is Jorden Peter Merrilees…is the son of Helene George and Anthony Merrilees…was born July 24, 1994 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia…stands 6-3 tall…majoring in communication studies…sister, Sydney, is a ballerina…his father represented Australia in the Rugby Union…his mother is a UNESCO expert for the International Fund for Cultural Diversity…enjoys watching all sports…a surfer in his spare time…also enjoys playing golf.