Joe Verdeur

Local, Northeast Catholic High, LaSalle University

Area native from Philadelphia and attended Northeast Catholic High (1940-44)

Legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice called him “the greatest swimmer of the 1st half century”

Would go on to set 21 American Records during his career

LaSalle University swimming (1946-50)

Won 48 individual AAU Mid-Atlantic Championships

AAU National Team Champion (1944)

10 time AAU Champion in the 200yd Breastroke

9 time AAU Champion in the 300yd Individual Medley

8 time AAU All-American (1942-50)

2 time NCAA Champion in the 200yd Butterfly (1947, 1948)

2 time NCAA Champion in the 150yd Individual Medley (1949, 1950)

Set 8 Eastern NCAA records and 12 NCAA records while at LaSalle

4 time NCAA All-American (1946-50)

Named NCAA Swimmer of the Year (1948)

Twice named Sport Magazine Swimmer of the Year (1948, 1949)

Olympic Gold Medal in the 200m Breaststroke at the 1948 Summer Games in London

Set 19 World Records (Breaststroke, Individual Medley, Medley Relay, Freestyle Relay)

Charter inductee into the LaSalle University Hall of Athletes (1961)

Inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (1975)

Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (1966)