Virginia Swimmers To Compete In World Championship Trials
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April 1, 2005
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Six current University of Virginia swimmers will compete in the World Championship Trials April 1-6 at IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind. Fourth-year Michael Raab (Rockville, Md./Walter Johnson), third-year Brielle White (Philadelphia, Pa./Springside School), second-years John Millen (Lilburn, Ga./Parkview) and Stefan Hirniak (Highlands Park, N.J./Princeton Day), and first-years Ryan Hurley (Potomac, Md./Georgetown Prep) and Pat Mellors (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) are vying for slots on the 2005 USA World Championship Team as well as the 2005 World University Game Team. In addition, current volunteer assistant coach and former UVa standout Ed Moses (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock) will swim in the World Championship Trials, which will be held in long course meters.
Raab is the top seed in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 1:57.60. Raab recently finished fifth in the 200-yard fly at the NCAA Championships with a time of 1:44.34 to earn first-team All-America honors in the event for the third consecutive year. In October 2004, Raab placed sixth in the finals of the 200-meter butterfly at the FINA World Championships at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Hirniak will swim the 200 and 400-meter freestyles. He is the 12th seed in the 400 free (3:57.59) and the 31st seed in the 200 free (1:52.76). Hirniak was an honorable mention All-American in the 200 butterfly (15th), 200 free relay (15th) and 800 free relay (13th) at the 2005 NCACC Championships. Millen will compete in three freestyle events. He is seeded 17th in the 1500-meter free (15:48.64), 21st in the 400-meter free (3:59.43) and 55th in the 200 free (1:37.55 – yards). Millen was sixth in the 1650 freestyle at the NCAAs to capture first-team All-America honors and was an honorable mention All-American in the 500 free (16th) and 800 free relay (13th).
Mellors is seeded in the top seven in the 200 and 400 individual medley with times of 4:20.70 and 2:04.13, respectively. He is the fourth seed in the 400-meter I.M. and the seventh seed in the 200 I.M. Mellors was a first-team All-American in the 400 I.M. (fifth) at the NCAAs and placed 10th in the 200 I.M. for honorable mention accolades. Mellors finished seventh in the finals of the 400-meter I.M. at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials with a time of 4:20.70.
Hurley will compete in the 200-meter breaststroke at the World Championship Trials. He is seeded eighth with his eighth-place time of 2:16.41 from the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.
White is the lone representative from the UVa women’s swimming program at the World Championship Trials. She is the third seed in the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 1:02.23, the time she swam in finishing fourth in the finals of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials. White earned first-team All-America honors at the 2005 NCAA Championships with her fourth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke (53.59). She was an honorable mention All-American in the 200 backstroke (12th).
Moses, a 2000 Olympic gold and silver medalist, will compete in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke. He is the fourth seed in the 100 breast (1:01.82) and the fifth seed in the 200 breast (2:14.12).
The swimming portion of the 2005 World Championships will be held July 24-31, in Montreal, Canada, while the 2005 World University Games will be held in Izmir, Turkey, August 11-21, 2005.