Gardner-Webb rising senior Connor Bos qualified for the Olympic Trials Sunday night in the 100 Backstroke, joining teammate Nathan Lile in an elite group competing for a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team.

Bos (Holland, Mich. / Holland HS) swam a fast time of 56.49 on Sunday, well under the 57.19 qualifying standard.  Bos and Lile are the first men's swimmers from Gardner-Webb to qualify for the trials.  Former women's All-America swimmer Terra Wilson swam in the 2008 Olympic Trials.

"It was a very exciting night," said head coach Mike Simpson. "Connor made it on his 10th try in the past two weeks.  I am so proud of him.  He just kept coming back each time and giving it his best effort.  He missed by four hundredths and seven hundredths before shattering his best time by almost a full second."

In his three seasons in the pool with the Runnin' Bulldogs, Bos has earned All-CCSA honors 10 times and is a six-time conference champion.  This past season he was a key component of three CCSA champion relay teams – winning the 400 free, 200 free and 200 medley.

He swam to an individual title in 2015, winning the 100 backstroke and finished second in that event this past season.

Bos also excels academically, winning the 2015-2016 John and Linda Godbold Award at the end of the spring semester.  He is a business finance and administration major at Gardner-Webb.

The 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials begin on June 26 and run through July 3 in Omaha, Neb.  Bos, Lile and the Gardner-Webb coaching staff will depart for the CenturyLink Center on Friday, June 24.