USC's Swim With Mike Names PacifiCare Its Official Healthcare Partner - $10,000 Donation to Help Provide Tuition and Financial Assistance to Physically Challenged Student Athletes - LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The University of Southern California's (USC) Swim With Mike announced that Cypress, Calif.-based PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. has been named the Official Healthcare Partner for the annual swim-a-thon fund-raiser. Benefiting the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund, Swim With Mike (http://www.swimwithmike.org/) will take place Saturday, April 16, 2005, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at USC McDonald's Swim Stadium. In addition, PacifiCare donated $10,000 in support of Swim With Mike's efforts to provide tuition and financial assistance toward housing and books to physically challenged student athletes. In order to qualify for a scholarship, applicants must have suffered an illness or injury that resulted in a physical disability that substantially limits major life activity; have participated in organized high school or college athletics prior to the illness or injury; meet admissions requirements of the selected university, and maintain a 2.5 GPA while enrolled. The Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund boasts an impressive recipient and alumni list, ranging in age from 18 to 38, pursuing careers from cinematography to business, medicine and law. Athletes have represented 16 different sports on levels ranging from high school junior varsity to NCAA Division 1. "PacifiCare is proud to be named Swim With Mike's Official Healthcare Partner for its 25th anniversary," said James Frey, president of PacifiCare of California. "We congratulate this year's scholarship winners for overcoming life's challenges and pursuing their dreams. We believe the commitment embodied by the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship Fund shares PacifiCare's belief that 'Caring is Good. Doing Something is Better.'" Celebrating its 25th year, Swim With Mike has raised $5 million for 45 Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarships for students who have overcome life-challenging accidents or illnesses. The fund is the only one of its kind allowing students to pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees at USC and, beginning two years ago, other college campuses. Swim With Mike began as a fund-raiser, "Swim For Mike," to purchase a specially equipped van for three-time All-American USC swimmer, Mike Nyeholt, who became paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 1981. At Nyeholt's suggestion, the excess monies raised that year were used to aid other athletes overcome paralyzing or physically disabling injuries or illnesses, and return to school. With the help of Nyeholt's teammate and now USC Associate Athletic Director Ron Orr, "Swim With Mike" was born the following year when Nyeholt returned to swim laps. "We are fortunate to have PacifiCare with us to share our commitment in helping our scholarship recipients pursue their education," said Orr. "The students of the Physically Challenged Athletes Scholarship are our inspiration, and we thank PacifiCare for helping make the 25th Swim With Mike a success." 2005 Swim With Mike Recipients: Name Accident Sport School/Major/Year Robert Brooks Amputee Basketball, USC -- Public Temecula, CA skiing, Relations/ bodyboarding Sophomore Chris Cantwell Diving Swimming, USC -- Electrical Chino Hills, CA accident, water polo engineering/Senior paraplegic Nick Enriquez Beach Football, Southwestern Law -- Glendora, CA accident, baseball 2nd Year Graduate quadriplegic Student Chad Hendrickson Beach Soccer, USC -- Mechanical Cerritos, CA accident, water polo engineering/Senior quadriplegic Regan Linton Car accident, Swimming, USC -- American Denver, CO paraplegic soccer, cross Studies/Senior country, softball Fulutusi Mailo Beach Football BYU -- Undeclared/ Kahuku, HI accident, Sophomore quadriplegic Ashley Olson Car accident, Basketball, USC -- Pleasanton, CA paraplegic volleyball Communications/ Senior Sam Paneno Football Football UC Davis Law Davis, CA injury, School -- 3rd Year amputee Graduate Student Joey Pulford Beach Water polo, USC -- Redondo Beach, CA accident, swimming Architecture/ quadriplegic Junior David Van Wagener Skiing Skiing Bucknell Greenwood accident, University -- Village, CO paraplegic Chemical Engineering/Junior Kris Wilson Car accident, Softball, Wesleyan Marysville, KS paraplegic volleyball, University, basketball Nebraska -- Forensic Science/Senior PacifiCare Health Systems is one of the nation's largest consumer health organizations with more than 3 million health plan members and approximately 10 million specialty plan members nationwide. PacifiCare offers individuals, employers and Medicare beneficiaries a variety of consumer-driven health care and life insurance products. Currently, more than 99 percent of PacifiCare's commercial health plan members are enrolled in plans that have received Excellent Accreditation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). PacifiCare's specialty operations include behavioral health, dental and vision, and complete pharmacy and medical management through its wholly owned subsidiary, Prescription Solutions. More information on PacifiCare Health Systems is available at pacificare.com. "Caring is Good. Doing Something is Better" is a service mark of PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. DATASOURCE: PacifiCare CONTACT: Media, Anita Sen, Public Relations, +1-310-422-7568, , for Swim With Mike Web site: http://www.swimwithmike.org/ Web site: http://www.pacificare.com/

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