Dupage Policy Journal

Tyler Leslie of the Augustana Vikings men's swimming and diving team concluded his participation in the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday. The junior athlete competed in three events over the four-day meet: the 50 free, 200 free, and 100 free.

"I am extremely proud of all that Tyler has achieved this weekend and this season," said head coach Dan Lloyd. "He represented our program at the highest level with integrity and showed that hard work and dedication pays off. Getting to the national meet is an accomplishment in itself, but to finish with two lifetime bests and become the first All-American for our program in 39 years is truly remarkable. This is an experience I know he will hold onto and cherish, but will also fuel him and our program moving forward."

Leslie participated in the 50 freestyle race on Wednesday morning, achieving a personal record time of 21.09 to place 43rd.

On Thursday, Leslie became the first All-American for the Vikings men's program since Tom Hancock's achievement during the 1985-86 season in the 100 breaststroke. He secured a spot in the finals after finishing 16th in the 200 freestyle preliminaries with a time of 1:38.53. In the finals, he improved his performance to a mark of 1:38.11, finishing in 12th place with his second-fastest career time. His last 50 split was noted as the second-fastest among all competitors that night. Leslie is also recognized as the first in program history to earn All-American status in the 200 freestyle event.

Leslie concluded his championship performance on Saturday by setting a lifetime best time of 45.36, finishing 37th in the 100 freestyle.