INDIANAPOLIS — The Washington and Lee men's 800-yard freestyle relay competed in finals on Friday at the 2026 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships at the IU Natatorium, finishing 13th overall with a time of 6:37.77 to Earn Second Team All-America status.
The quartet of Leighton Chapman, Thomas Denton, Charles Byars and Dalton Jobe entered the evening session fifth before the final heat took place in the night session.
Washington and Lee delivered a balanced effort across all four legs. Chapman opened the relay in 1:41.24, setting the tone with a 23.30 opening 50, before Denton followed with a 1:42.03 split to maintain position in the field. Byars provided a strong third leg in 1:37.36, and Jobe anchored the relay with a 1:37.14 split to close the race.
Up Next: Washington and Lee closes competition on Saturday, March 21, with Leighton Chapman competing in the 100 freestyle, the 400 freestyle relay (Chapman, William Gordon, Charles Byars, Dalton Jobe), and Maria Jellig swimming in the 200 backstroke.
Event Schedule and Results (W&L Combined Entries by Competition Day)
- Day 1 (March 18)
- Day 2 (March 19)
- Day 3 (March 20)
- 800 Freestyle Relay — 13th, 6:37.77 (Jobe, Chapman, Byars, Denton | Second Team All-America)
- Day 4 (March 21)
- 100 Freestyle – Leighton Chapman | Heat 4 of 5
- 400 Freestyle Relay (Chapman, Gordon, Byars, Jobe) | Heat 3 of 3
- 200 Backstroke – Maria Jellig | Heat 2 of 6
Notes
- Official championship information, including live results and updates, will be available at NCAA.com, here.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
