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Kevin Leithold

  • position Freestyle/Butterfly
  • class Freshman
  • Hometown Sandersdorf, Germany
  • High school Sportgymnasium Halle
  • position Freestyle/Butterfly
  • class Freshman
  • Hometown Sandersdorf, Germany
  • High school Sportgymnasium Halle

Kevin Leithold Bio

1/14/2015

Pair of German swimmers finding a new home with Gamecocks

By Neil White (The State)

AWARDS/HONORS

  • 2016 All-American – 800 Freestyle Relay
  • 2016 SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Postgraduate Scholarship nominee
  • 2016 CSCAA Scholar All-American
  • 2016 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll
  • 2015 CSCAA Scholar All-American
  • 2015 All-American – 800 Freestyle Relay
  • 2015 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll
  • 2014 All-American – 800 Freestyle Relay
  • 2014 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll

IN THE RECORD BOOK

  • 2nd — 100 Breaststroke
  • 2nd — 100 Freestyle
  • 3rd — 100 Butterfly
  • 3rd — 200 IM
  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 9th — 800 Freestyle Relay
  • 1st, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th — 400 Freestyle Relay
  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 9th — 200 Medley Relay
  • 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th — 400 Medley Relay

2016 (SENIOR)

  • Swam in six individual events in his final season
  • Ended his collegiate career as an All-American in the 800 freestyle relay, helping the Gamecocks finish 15th at the NCAA Championships with a school record time of 6:19.93
  • Made three second swims at the SEC Championships, with his best finish a 17th-place result in the 100 breaststroke (53.63)
  • Also finished 19th in the 200 freestyle (1:36.76) and 20th in the 100 freestyle (43.97) at the SEC meet
  • Earned nine event victories, including four in the 100 freestyle
  • Also earned victories in the 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 100 IM and 200 IM
  • Was South Carolina’s department-wide male nominee for the SEC H. Boyd McWhorter Postgraduate Scholarship

2015 (JUNIOR)

  • One of South Carolina’s most versatile swimmers
  • Competed in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 200 IM
  • Finished 37th in the 100 breaststroke (53.72) and 38th in the 100 freestyle (43.69) at the 2015 NCAA Championships
  • Member of the Gamecocks’ All-American 800 freestyle relay team that placed 11th at the NCAA Championships
  • Finished 11th in the 100 freestyle (43.47), 14th in the 100 breaststroke (48.06) and 24th in the 100 butterfly at the SEC Championships
  • Set a personal record of 52.97 in the preliminary of the 100 breaststroke at the SEC Championships
  • Won the 100 breaststroke at the Virginia Tech Invitational (53.36), also finished 1st in the 200 IM with a personal record of 1:47.16 and fifth in the 100 freestyle (44.54)
  • Tallied 10 individual wins throughout the season

2014 (SOPHOMORE)

  • Gamecocks’ most versatile swimmer, posting four times that rank in the Top 10 in program history
  • Earned All-America honors in the 800 freestyle relay as the team finished 12th (6:21.98) at the NCAA Championships
  • Broke the school record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 53.57 at the Virginia Tech Invitational
  • Recorded the second-fastest time in program history in the 100 freestyle at the same meet, clocking in at 43.56
  • Scored points for Carolina at the SEC Championships in the 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and the 200 IM
  • With his highest finish at the conference championships, took 13th in the 100 breaststroke (54.06)
  • Placed 19th in the 200 IM (1:46.91) and 20th in the 100 freestyle (43.78)
  • Swam on all three of the Gamecocks’ school record breaking relays teams at the SEC Championships (200 medley, 400 medley, 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle)
  • Won 12 individual races during the season with six coming in the 100 freestyle

2013 (FRESHMAN)

Did not compete

PRE COLLEGE

  • Graduate from Sportgymnasium Halle
  • Swam for the SV Halle club team under head coach Frank Embacher.
  • Won a bronze medal in the Youth Olympic Games and the Junior European Championships

PERSONAL

  • Born March 5, 1992
  • Parents are Jens-Uwe Ewald and Katrin Ewald
  • Has two sisters, Franzisca and Felicitas
  • Majoring in international business
Leithold’s Top Times
Event Time Date Meet Location
50 Freestyle 20.30# 11/20/14 Virginia Tech Invitational Christiansburg, Va.
100 Freestyle 43.47 2/21/15 SEC Championships Auburn, Ala.
200 Freestyle 1:35.19# 3/23/16 NCAA Championships Atlanta, Ga.
100 Breaststroke 52.97! 2/20/15 SEC Championships Auburn, Ala.
100 Butterfly 47.22p 2/19/15 SEC Championships Auburn, Ala.
100 IM 51.02 10/3/15 Florida Gulf Coast Invitational Fort Meyers, Fla.
200 IM 1:46.75 11/21/13 Virginia Tech Invitational Blacksburg, Va.

# = Leadoff Split

! = School Record

p = Prelims