Meade is considered one of the best butterfly specialists ever in Cornell swimming history. He captured three Eastern championships, winning the 100 butterfly as a freshman (swimming a 50.1 which set a meet record) and as a sophomore, and taking the 200 fly title his senior year when he also placed second in the 100 fly and swam a leg on the third-place 400-medley relay. At the NCAA championships, he placed 10th in the 100 in 1973 and was fifth in 1974 to earn All-America honors both years. As a freshman, he finished eighth in the 100 at the National AAU championships. Meade also swam the 200 individual medley and the 200 and 500 freestyle events in dual meet competition.
