USF Athletics

Men's Swimming (1969-72)

Two-time national champion and 12-time All-American Joe Lewkowicz put USF swimming on the map by winning the Bulls’ first national championship in 1969 after setting a pool and school record in the 200-yard butterfly at the NCAA College Division Championships.

During his career at USF from 1969-72, Lewkowicz racked up 12 All-America honors in five swimming events, and two national titles, the second in the 1972 400-yard medley relay. By finishing in the top 12 in each event at the NCAA Championships, he earned All-America status in the 200-yard butterfly in four straight seasons, the 100-yard butterfly and 400-yard medley relay in a trio of seasons and the 500-yard freestyle and the 800-yard freestyle relay each once.

Lewkowicz helped lead his team to second, fifth, 12th and 15^th-place NCAA finishes in his four seasons with the Bulls, and set school records in the 100- and 200-yard butterfly and the 800-yard freestyle relay.

After his USF career, Lewkowicz opened a successful bar in Tampa, and then left that business for real estate, where he has excelled for over 25 years. He continued to swim masters events for many years after his USF career ended.

Lewkowicz was inducted into the USF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, one year after the 1984-85 women’s swimming team was honored.