Quincy, Ill. - In just two years of Quincy University's swim program's existence, the Hawks have qualified a swimmer twice for the Division II national meet. Though he was unable to compete his freshman year, Wyatt Walsh made QU history in being the first swimmer to swim at nationals in March. The 2023-2024 season was monumental for the sophomore and finished with a trip to the big stage. 

Walsh started his sophomore campaign with a win in the 200 IM in a dual over Lewis University, a huge win considering Lewis placed ninth at nationals. The Hawks had a tough schedule for the 2023-2024 season, competing against all but three conference opponents prior to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship in February. Quincy also competed in two invitationals (House of Champions hosted by IU-Indy and the Drury Invitational) that put the Hawks against national-qualifying swimmers. Walsh continued to rise to the occasion, winning three events over the two invitationals. 

"In the dual meets throughout the season, my focus was on trying things that I had been trying in training, and trying to implement them in a competitive environment," said Walsh. " At GLVC's, I was focused on trying to score as many points for the team as possible and was trying to stay present in the moment and not get hung up on races."

Despite some races not finishing how he wanted, Walsh brought two GLVC medals back to Quincy. Walsh swam the 400 IM in 3:54.64, giving him a sixth place spot on the podium and then broke Quincy's record in the 500-meter freestyle the next day to give himself an eighth place spot. He earned NCAA B cuts for both races, allowing him extra opportunities to compete at nationals. 

Two weeks passed between the final swims of the GLVC Championship and the release of qualifying swimmers for the NCAA Championship. To qualify for the national meet, swimmers needed to have one of the Top 22 times in the nation for an event. Though Walsh and teammate Borna Kisasondi recorded NCAA B cut times at the GLVC Championship, their spots at nationals was not guaranteed. 

On February 28th, the NCAA released its long-awaited qualifiers list, featuring Wyatt Walsh's name under the top times for the 400 IM. His GLVC final race in the 400 IM placed him 12th across Division II swimmers. Walsh had just two weeks to prepare for his nationals debut. 

"To focus for nationals was really focusing in on all of my technical skills, trying not to make large changes at this point in the season rather than just making minor improvements on what was already built throughout the season up to that point."

At the nationals meet, held in Geneva, Ohio, Walsh competed in three events--the 400 IM, the 200 IM, and the 500 freestyle. Walsh swam the 200 IM in 1:53.51 and the 500 in 4:43.51. His preliminary swim for the 400 IM came in at a 3:56.50, just .23 seconds shy of making the consolation final. He placed 17th in the event, falling just short of an All-American honorable mention nod. Despite the few shortcomings that came with his nationals trip, Walsh made huge strides for the Quincy swim program. He also had a little fun. 

"At nationals, the atmosphere was amazing," recalled the sophomore. "The level of competition was obviously the highest, since the best athletes from around the country were there. There was so much noise made by the teams that were present which gave the meet the feeling that fast swim were going to happen."

Walsh will return with his fellow Hawks this fall with new glass ceilings to break. The 2024-2025 season will begin on September 28th with a trip to Kirksville, Missouri, to face the Truman State Bulldogs.