Four Penguins Named to Academic All-District Men's Swimming and Diving Team
4/2/2024 12:00:00 PM | Swimming and Diving
Youngstown State student-athletes Jasper Liekens, James Slessor, Christian Taylor, and Gavin Webb of the men's swimming and diving program were named to the 2023-24 Academic All-District Team, the College Sports Communicators announced on Tuesday.
Liekens, an Academic All-Horizon League selection, is a senior in Electrical Engineering with a 4.00 G.P.A. Liekens finished 12th in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:51.80 and placed top 16 in the 100 butterfly at the Horizon League Championships, placing 15th with a time of 50.01. In addition, he was a member of the school-record setting 800 free relay team that clocked a 6:37.94 at the HL Championships.
Slessor, an Academic All-Horizon League selection, is a sophomore in Business Management with a 4.00 G.P.A. Slessor was named the Horizon League Men's Swimmer of the Week on Jan. 24 after winning each event he competed in against Denison: 50 breaststroke, 100 breaststroke, and 100 IM. At the Horizon League Championships, he earned two sixth-place finishes: 100 breaststroke (54.64) and 200 breaststroke (1:59.84). He was also a member of the school-record setting 200 free relay team that clocked a 1:21.30 at the HL Championships.
Taylor, also a member of the Academic All-Horizon League Team, is a senior in Business Administration with a 3.75 G.P.A. Taylor finished runner-up in the 1650 free with a time of 15:27.32 at the Horizon League Championships, besting his personal-best time by nearly 45 seconds to secure his first career podium finish. In addition, he placed seventh in the 500 free with a time of 4:31.52 and was 11th in the 200 free with a time of 1:40.30. Taylor also was a member of the school-record setting 800 free relay team that clocked a 6:37.94 at the HL Championships.
Webb, a three-time Academic All-Horizon League selection, is a senior in Hospitality Management with a 3.66 G.P.A. Webb is a three-time Horizon League Champion in the 1650 freestyle, winning the event with a school-record and D1 B time of 15:09.60 this season, nearly 20 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. He also earned a top-three finish in the 500 free with a time of 4:26.42 and won the B final of the 400 IM by over two seconds, clocking a 3:52.12 at the HL Championships.
