March 28, 2008

FEDERAL WAY, WASH. - Senior Ryan Funderburk became the first University of North Carolina men's diver in 51 years to earn All-America honors when the Summerfield, N.C., took 14th place in the three-meter diving competition at the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships being hosted by the University of Washington.

Funderburk totaled 342.15 in three-meter diving, his best event, to place 10th in the preliminries. In the process, he earned All-America honors from the National Swimming Coaches Association of America. He is the first Tar Heel men's diver to earn All-America honors since David McInnis in 1957 who did so in both one-meter and three-meter diving.

Funderburk had finished 21st in one-meter diving and he will compete in 10-meter platform diving Saturday. In the finals on Friday he actually produced a higher score at 344.80 but slipped back to 14th place.

Also on Friday, freshman Tyler Harris of Richmond, Va., qualified for the consolation finals of the 400-yard individual medley. Harris qualified 12th in a time of 3:48.22. He will compete in the consolation final Friday night sometime after 10 p.m. EST.

Harris ended up finishing 14th in the event overall with a time of 3:48.88. He earned All-America honors in the process, marking the first time since 2004 the Tar Heels have had two men's All-America selections in the same season.

Senior Philip Owen of Scottsdale, Ariz. placed 42nd in the 200-yard freestyle in 1:38.36.

On Saturday, Owen and freshman Joe Kinderwater of Lancaster, Pa., will swim the 1650-yard freestyle and Harris will swim the 200-yard butterfly.

At the end of two days, North Carolina is tied for 34th in the team standings with six points.