Tucker Jackson Gets Inducted to the Whitman Hall of Fame
During his four years at Whitman, Jackson never lost a race in the 50 freestyle. He is the only Whitman swimmer ever to achieve that feat. He is also the only Whitman swimmer to win four consecutive Northwest Conference titles. His lifetime best 21.40 in the 50 freestyle was the school record from 1999 until 2011, when then Freshman Karl Merring broke that time with a spectacular mid-season swim of 20.93. Jackson was only slightly less dominant in the 100 freestyle, where he lost just one dual meet race in four years. Jackson's 1999 record time of 47.07 barely outlasted Jamie Nusse ('11) who narrowly missed beating Jackson's time during his senior campaign and who holds the third fastest time in Whitman history at 47.15. However, it was Nusse who ended Jackson's Whitman Alumni Meet winning streak in the 50 freestyle. Jackson had won the 50 free at every alumni meet from 2002 until Nusse beat him in 2010. Karl Merring eventually dethroned Jackson's 100 freestyle record as well with his phenomenal 2012 NWC Championship winning swim of 46.14. Though he is no longer on the record board, Jackson still holds Whitman's 2nd fastest times in the 50 and 100 freestyle, the 6th fastest 200 freestyle, and the 8th fastest 100 butterfly.
"My freshman year we had five guys and five women," Jackson recalled of the swimming program. "We couldn't run two relays."
Eleven years later, the team has grown from 10 to over 40; from battling it out to avoid being last at the NWC Championships to a best ever second place Men's finish and third place Women's finish in 2012; from barely being able to put together one relay to having 2012 NWC Men's Champion relays in the 200, 400, and 800 freestyle relays.
Whitman is a strong team and only getting stronger. Though the accomplishments and goals have moved onto the National stage, Tucker Jackson and his legacy continues to inspire new generations of Whitman swimming.
