The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2018
- Class:
- 2018
A three-time NCAA Champion, 10-time All-American and member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team, Kim Rhodenbaugh Lewallen helped lead the Longhorns to three consecutive NCAA team titles from 1985-87. Lewallen had national and international success in the pool prior to enrolling at UT. She recorded five national breaststroke titles during her high school career in Cincinnati, winning the 1981 Short Course 100 breast, the 1982 Short Course 200 breast, the 1982 Long Course 100-meter breast, the 1983 Long Course 100-meter breast and the 1983 Long Course 200-meter breast. Competing for Team USA, Lewallen won silver medals in the 100-meter breast and the 400 medley relay at the 1982 FINA World Championships. She later won three medals at the 1983 Pan American Games in Venezuela, capturing gold in the 400 medley relay and bronze in both the 100 and 200 breast. Lewallen also won three medals at the 1983 Pan Pacific Games in Toyko, claiming gold in the 400 medley relay, silver in the 100 breast and bronze in the 200 breast. In the summer prior to her freshman season at Texas, she made the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team and placed eighth in the 200-meter breast (2:35.51) at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. As a freshman in 1984-85, Lewallen won NCAA individual titles in the 200 breast and 200 IM and swam the breaststroke leg on the national champion 200 medley relay. Lewallen also placed second in the 100 breast and finished fourth overall in the individual point standings while leading the Longhorns to the NCAA team title. During her sophomore campaign in 1985-86, she suffered a broken foot but still placed fifth in the 100 breast, seventh in the 200 breast and 13th in the 200 IM at the NCAA Championships as the Longhorns again captured the team title. In her junior and final season in 1986-87, Lewallen placed third at the NCAA meet in both the 100 breast and 200 breast and finished 12th in the 200 IM to help Texas to the NCAA team title. Following her collegiate career, she appeared on the cover of a Wheaties cereal box in 1987 in honor of her national breaststroke titles. Lewallen concluded her amateur career by winning gold at the 1987 World University Games in the 400 medley relay and earned a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communications in 1989. She has served as a motivational speaker and a private swim instructor for the past 29 years and currently resides in Mingus, Texas.
