Kert Johnson

Position:
Backstroke, Freestyle
Height:
6-3
Weight:
190
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Ooltewah, Tenn.

Career Best Times: 49.23, 100 Back; 20.56, 50 Free; 45.69, 100 Free; 1:40.04, 200 Free.

General: Elected as one of the tri-captains of the Tar Heels...had a spectacular junior season…a force for Carolina in the backstroke…also a talented freestyler...a clutch relay performer for the Tar Heels…maintains a 3.092 cumulative GPA.

Summer 2001: Competed at the USS Southern Sectional in Athens, Ga....placed 15th in the 100 and 200 free, 17th in the 100 back and 23rd in the 50 free...also competed at the 2001 U.S. Swimming Summer Nationals in Clovis, Calif., turning in some outstanding relay performances.

2000-2001: At the 2000 Nike Cup, he was a member of the Nike Cup champion 200 and 400 medley relays...he also finished second in the 100 backstroke at the meet…at the 2001 ACC Championships, he finished sixth in the 100 backstroke (49.23), 10th in the 50 free (20.56) and 13th in the 100 free (45.69), all career bests…he was also a member of Carolina’s 200 free relay which finished third (second leg), its 400 free relay which finished fourth (second leg) and its 400 medley relay which finished third (leadoff leg)…his performance in the 100 backstroke ranks him third all-time among Carolina swimmers in the event and was a remarkable two and a half second drop from his personal best from the previous year.

1999-2000: At the 2000 ACC Championships, he finished 10th in the 200 free (1:40.04) and tied for 10th in the 50 free (20.76)…also at ACC’s, he was a member of UNC’s second-place 800 free relay, its third place 200 free relay, its fifth place 200 medley relay, and its fifth place 400 free relay…at the third Tar Heel Invitational, he turned in the 10th best performance ever by a Tar Heel in the 100 back (51.27)…tapped for Dean’s List in the spring semester of 2000…2000 ACC Academic Honor Roll choice.

1998-99: At the 1999 ACC Championships, he finished 14th in the 200-yard freestyle, and was on the 800 free relay team that finished third.

Prep: A May 30, 1998 graduate of the McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tenn....competed in swimming and water polo for six years there...co-captain for both teams his senior year...a state champion in the 100 freestyle and as member of 200 free relay (twice) and the 400 free relay...was a member of the 1998 Tennesse state high school swimming and diving team champions at McCallie...as a junior, was third team All-America in water polo...was first team All-America as a senior...tried out for the 19-and-under U.S. national water polo team in Lake Placid, N.Y....an honor roll student several times...also named to headmaster’s list his senior year...was the president of the National Honor Society.

Personal: Given name is Kert Michael Johnson...nicknames include “Kujo”, “Hank”, “Wildcat”, “Huck”, and “Frank Rockwell”...born November 19, 1979 in Knoxville, Tenn....son of Dean and Darlene Johnson...has one sister...enjoys canoeing and sailing as hobbies...athletes he most admires are his mom and Ted Brisso...biggest sports thrill was hiking for 6 miles through Yosemite National Park following the U.S. National Championships this past summer along with teammates Chris Helin, Judd Glasco, Sean Quinn, and Stephen Mohr...is the first person in his family to participate in college athletics...business administration major.