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Augustana College has picked up a verbal commitment from Joshua Valentine for its class of 2025.
Joshua Valentine has announced his decision to swim for Augustana College beginning in the 2021-2022 season. His siblings – Isaiah and Dominique – are sophomores on the team. Joshua swims year-round for the Powel Crosley Jr. YMCA and he is a senior at Walnut Hills High School.
I am extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to Augustana College! I would like to thank my parents, friends, teachers, and coaches for making me who I am today. I chose Augie because of the atmosphere the entire school brings. I can talk to anyone on campus and feel right at home. I am excited to be a part of the new four year engineering program and the brand new natatorium scheduled to open spring 2021.
In February, Valentine competed at the Ohio DI Southwest District Meet. The Walnut Hills senior swam the 100 and 200 free and two relays. He finished 17th in the 200 free, taking 2.5 seconds off of his entry time for a new personal best time of 1:46.62. Similarly, he swam a personal best 100 free time, improving his time by 0.94 seconds and touching 16th. He anchored Walnut Hills’ 200 medley relay and he swam the second leg of their 400 free relay.
A week later he attended the Ohio State High School meet, competing on his team’s 200 medley and 400 free relays. Aaron Sequeira swam the backstroke leg, Rowan Chatterjee swam breast, Alex Craft swam fly, and Valentine anchored (22.13) for a 20th place finish. He later led off the 400 free relay (49.03) and was followed by Tre Harris, Craft, and Sequeira.
Top SCY Times:
- 50 free – 22.99
- 100 free – 48.42
- 200 free – 1:46.62
- 500 free – 4:53.63
Valentine will become a Viking when he joins the team in the fall of 2020. His time would have made him the team’s second 200 freestyler behind sophomore Matthew Felber this season, as well their second-fastest 500 freestyler behind junior Aidan McConkey. Additionally, his top times would have earned him a spot in the B-final of the 100 free and a spot in the A-final for the 200 and 500 free at the 2020 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Championships. The Augustana College men’s team finished third at the conference meet behind Carthage College and Wheaton College.
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