BELLEVILLE, Ill. --- Biola Swim & Dive added another student-athlete eager to embrace the team's culture in transfer Landon Theiss. 

An Illinois-native who led a high school club focused on preparing Christian students to sharing their faith, Theiss will join a breaststroke group at Biola that had two swimmers in the 100 yard breaststroke A-Final at the 2020 PCSC Championships and three in the A-Final for the 200 breaststroke. 

Theiss is definitely looking forward to the competitive drive of his new swim team. But he's also thrilled that the opportunity to join Head Coach Ryan Kauth's growing program will allow him to hone his musical craft as a worship arts major:

"I chose Biola because of their highly recognized music program, and the amazing opportunity to join a team-oriented, God-focused swim team," said Theiss. "I'm stoked to add to the momentum that the coaches and the swimmers have been building the past few years."
 
During his time at Belleville East High, Theiss qualified for USA Swimming Sectionals and NCSA Junior Nationals. He was also Belleville East's leading scorer at the 2019 IHSA Sectionals his senior year, earning a podium finish in the 100 breast with a personal-best time of 1:00.04.
 
Away from his work with his high school and O'Fallon Seahawks swim teams, Theiss also excelled in the classroom at Belleville East and devoted a lot of time toward his passion for music. He helped lead worship for his church's youth group all four years of high school and also sang in a school concert choir that has garnered state recognition. 
 
Then he earned honors-student commendation on top of his extracirriculars and graduated high school with an associates degree as part of a Running Start program. 
 
Landon Theiss will join his new teammates in the coming fall semester as Swim & Dive prepares for the start of its 2020-21 season. More information on the incoming 2020-21 class that will join him at Biola can be found on the Committed Athletes page.