HAMILTON, N.Y. (10/4/10) – Junior Costas Hadjipateras (New Canaan, Conn.) has qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials in the 200-yard butterfly after his performance at the USA National Championships.

Hadjipateras swam a time of 2:03.86 to finish second out of 108 competitors in the event. His time qualified him for the Olympic Trials that will take place in Omaha, Neb., from June 25 to July 1. He also qualified for the ConocoPhillips National Championships in Irvine, Calif. On Aug. 3-7.

“I felt I could go a lot faster than the times I was putting out at Patriot Leagues,” said Hadjepateras. “I wanted to dedicate myself fully to the sport for the three-month long summer break, and see what it would do to my swimming. I just took one practice at a time and one day at a time.”

At the 2010 Patriot League Championships he posted a pair of top-10 finishes and lowered his school record with a 1:50.62 in the final of the 200 fly, which earned him a fifth-place finish. He took seventh in the 100 fly at the Championships with a time of 51.04. He also helped break the school record in the 800 free relay.

“I was confident in my training and hopefully it has motivated the team for next season by all of them knowing that if I can do it, they can do it,” stated Hadjipateras. “Every single team member played a crucial role in my success this summer, they were constantly checking up on me and following my progress from start to finish.”

The men's swimming and diving team hits the water on Oct. 23 for its first meet of the season as they host Buffalo at 1 p.m. at Lineberry Auditorium. The men were selected to finish fifth in the annual Patriot League Preseason Poll.