ANNAPOLIS, Md. â€"â€" Three members of the Navy swimming program attained U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying times during an open long course (50-meter length pool) meet held Thursday at Lejeune Hall in Annapolis. Qualifying times posted by Ellen Bradford (Sr., Knoxville, Tenn.), Kenzie Margroum (Jr., Fort Thomas, Ky.) and Luke Nelson (Fr., Providence, R.I.) brings the total number of Navy qualifiers to 11, 10 of whom swam on this year's team.

Besides the efforts of Bradford, Margroum and Nelson, Navy swimmers also missed qualifying for an additional 32 events by no more than one second Thursday.

"It is amazing," said Margroum of qualifying 11 Navy swimmers for the trials. "We're the Naval Academy, we're the Navy. We're representing the United States and then we get to do that athletically in our pool. And then we get to represent our country at the trials, which is the biggest meet we have to offer for our sport. We're representing Navy there. That's something which is hard to describe. It is wonderful to be part of that."

The Olympic Trials will be held June 26-July 3 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb. It is estimated that one-half of one percent of the 250,000 swimmers who are part of the U.S. Swimming program across the country will qualify for the Olympic Trials.

Margroum had an unusual qualifying experience in the 50m freestyle event. There was a clock malfunction in the middle of her heat, which ended any hope of an electronic record being available for her swim. A trio of stopwatches had her touching the wall at various times just under the required posting of 26.19. Margroum chose to swim the event again after a short break to ensure an electronic time, and in the time trial she posted a time of 26.02 â€"â€" a mark better than that of the hand held times from her initial effort â€"â€" to officially send her to Omaha.

"This has been the goal since I was a junior in high school," said Margroum. "I missed it by a little bit then, but now having the chance to not only represent myself and Navy, but also my country at the trials; that's been a big goal.

"It was an adventure this morning. I just wanted to make sure I actually got it. The first thing you hear is your team cheering you on and that's when you know. You can tell right away if you made it or not."

Bradford qualified for the trials Thursday when she posted a time of 1:11.42 in the 100 breaststroke. That effort was just under the required time of 1:11.49.

"I never thought I was going to make it," said Bradford of watching the trials while growing up. "The Olympic Trials is the fastest meet in the world. I'm a good swimmer, but not a great swimmer. Then I saw my friends were making it and I thought, maybe I could make it.

"I hit the wall and my initial reaction was to listen for my teammates because I knew they would cheer if I got it. There was a period that felt like five seconds, but I am sure was half a second, when I didn't hear anything and I thought, 'oh no.' Then I heard a couple of claps and then some cheers and I looked up and saw I made it by the skin of my teeth. It is surreal to think I finally made it to that level. Knowing I have been working with swimmers of that caliber, my teammates who have pushed me every day to get there, I feel like I have earned it."

The third Navy swimmer to punch a ticket to Omaha was Nelson. He is now entered into the trials in the 400 freestyle thanks to his clocking of 3:58.36 (3:58.69 was the standard).

"Honestly, no," said Nelson, when asked if he ever pictured himself competing at the trials. "It has been a goal since I was a junior in high school, but I wouldn't say it was a very realistic goal. But coming here, training with a lot of great guys, that got me there.

"I was so relieved when I qualified. It was such a weight off my shoulders. It was bugging me all year. Right when I got it I just kind of laid back and said, 'it's done.' I was really happy. I'm really excited. I've heard many, many things about the trials. I am excited to go and swim at it."

Navy previously qualified 16 swimmers for the 2012 Olympic Trials after five qualified for the 2008 event. Among the current Mids who this year have qualified for the second Olympic Trials of their career are Charlotte Meyer (Jr., Bethesda. Md.) and Tom Duvall (Sr., Durham, N.H.).

"The excitement is huge," said Meyer, whose two older brothers, former Navy swimmers Adam and Mark, also competed at the Olympic Trials. "There are so many swimmers there. Pretty much everywhere you look you see people who have heard of. The way they set it up, they make it seem so big; fireworks on the sides of the pool, going to the ready room for every race as opposed to just the finals at league meets. That really gets you excited. It is inspiring to be there."

"It definitely is a new atmosphere," said Duvall. "It is unlike any meet I had ever competed in until I got here (at Navy). The Olympic Trials is different because it is not only the people in your age range, it is anyone who wants to compete for it. That definitely builds up the atmosphere, and the venue is crazy; there are so many people there, that builds up the hype for it. Knowing I am qualified for it again is very exciting."

Army West Point swimmers Joe Daniels (100 breaststroke) and Sabrina Mortell (800 freestyle) also attained qualifying times Thursday. There are 19 swimmers from Patriot League schools who have qualified for the Olympic Trials.

Navy's Olympic Trials Qualifiers
Lauren Barber - 100 breast - 1:09.72 (1:11.49) * ... 200 free - 2:01.99 (2:02.39) * ... 200 IM - 2:17.19 (2:18.69) *
Ellen Bradford - 100 breast - 1:11.42 (1:11.49) ^
Marlin Brutkiewicz - 100 breast - 1:03.66 (1:03.69) * ... 200 breast - 2:17.17 (2:18.39) *
David Carlson - 100 back - 57.19 (57.19) *
Jonathan Debaugh - 200 fly - 2:00.90 (2:01.99) *
Thuy-Mi Dinh (Class of 2010) - 50 free - 26.10 (26.19) *
Tom Duvall - 400 free - 3:53.38 (3:58.69) *
Ethan King - 100 back - 56.42 (57.19) *
Kenzie Margroum - 50 free - 26.02 (26.19) ^
Charlotte Meyer - 400 IM - 4:54.29 (4:54.99) *
Luke Nelson - 400 free - 3:58.36 (3:58.69) ^

Additional Patriot League Olympic Trials Qualifiers
Army West Point
Joe Daniels - 100 breast - 1:03.62 (1:03.69) ^
Sabrina Mortell - 800 free - 8:49.27 (8:49.99) ^

Boston
Garrett Chin - 400 IM - 4:26.42 (4:27.49) *
Steph Nasson - 800 free - 8:47.84 (8:49.99) *

Bucknell
Chris Devlin - 100 back - 57.08 (57.19) * ... 200 back - 2:01.75 (2:03.79) *

Lehigh
Justin White - 50 free - 23.16 (23.29) *
Jamal Willis - 50 free - 23.29 (23.29) *

Loyola
Ben Cono - 100 breast - 52.92 (1:03.69) *... 200 breast - 1:55.70 (2:18.39) *

* = attained prior to Thursday's competition
^ = attained Thursday