A-Stroke Fitting Finish Freestyle Swimmer Dylan Felt ’26 Joins Exclusive Club
June 1, 2026
- Author
- Justin Parker
Davidson College senior Dylan Felt swam his way to a few more memories and milestones in March, while capping his illustrious career the way no Wildcat had in a decade.
A senior freestyler from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Felt competed in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships March 26-27 at Georgia Tech, after joining elite company as Davidson’s fourth NCAA qualifier. Once there, he improved upon his own school and Atlantic 10 Conference records. He also outswam his seeding, finishing double-digit spots higher in his two events. It was a fitting finish for the undersized overachiever, who at 5-foot-9, made a habit of exceeding expectations throughout his four years in a Davidson swim cap.
“To swim your best among the best—that’s the pinnacle,” Davidson coach John Young said from the pool deck at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta, which hosted events during the 1996 Olympic Games. “For a swimmer of his caliber, this is where he deserves to finish his collegiate swimming career. And we couldn’t be prouder of him.”
In his NCAA debut, Felt won Heat 2 of the 200-yard freestyle with an A-10 record time of 1:32.94. Seeded 47th based on his top time this season, he placed 31st overall.
The next day, in the 500 freestyle, Felt again outswam his seeding, finishing 15 spots higher in 27th with an A-10 record time of 4:16.15.
Knowing it would be his final college event, Felt swam the 500 with heartfelt memories in tow.
Every moment from my swim history was going through my mind. So it was a pretty emotional swim for me. But I really tried to get my hand on the wall first. I just put everything I had out there.
Felt completed his career with 15 A-10 medals, including nine golds. He owns three A-10 records (also including the 1,650 freestyle) and every Davidson freestyle record. He secured two A-10 Most Outstanding Performer honors and participated in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
And by reaching the NCAAs, Felt joined Lindsey Martin (2010, 2011), Drew Onken (2012) and Elise Lankiewicz (2017) as the only Wildcats in an exclusive club. He finished on top and with immense gratitude for the shared journey with family members, coaches and teammates.
“I think what I’ll remember most,” he said, “is the people who helped me get here.”
This article was originally published in the Spring/Summer 2026 print issue of the Davidson Journal Magazine; for more, please see the Davidson Journal section of our website.
