Eight swimmers on the U.S. Olympic team have ties to North Carolina, the Associated Press reports. 

Davis Tarwater left Omaha, Neb., earlier this week after believing he hadn't made the team, then returned on Tuesday after Michael Phelps withdrew from the 200-meter freestyle, opening up a slot on the 800-meter freestyle relay.

Tarwater joins these other swimmers with ties to North Carolina:

Cullen Jones, Nick Thoman, Micah Lawrence, Kara Lynn Jones, Ricky Berens, Charlie Houchin and Lauren Purdue.

Five of the swimmers flew into Charlotte on Tuesday evening and were met by hundreds of well-wishers.

"I'm shocked, we completely didn't expect this," 2008 gold medalist Cullen Jones told the AP. "This is awesome."