#0 Donna Leslie Season 2023-24
JUNIOR SEASON (2002-03)
Outstanding sprint-freestyle swimmer … Competed in every meet of the season in addition to the SEC Championships for the third consecutive year … Shined at the Nike Cup Invitational, posting the third-fastest time in school history in the 50 freestyle (23.46) … Also scored two other top-three times in the 100 freestyle (51.56) and the 200 freestyle (1:52.18) at the Nike Cup … The Lady Tigers’ top finisher in the 50 freestyle at the SEC Championships, placing 23rd in the prelims with a time of 23.94 … Teamed with Laura Jo Leininger, Bethany Cottingham and Julie Johnson to finish seventh in the 200 freestyle relay finals at the SEC Championships (1:34.76) … Joined Cottingham, Margaret Anne Moore and Leininger to win the 400 freestyle relay in a dual meet at Florida State … Finished second in the 200 freestyle in a win at Houston … Won the 200 freestyle in the home opener versus Wright State (1:55.66) … Part of LSU’s team that posted the top times in the 200, 400, and 800 freestyle relays … Earned her third varsity letter.
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2001-02)
Competed in every regular-season meet in addition to the SEC Championships … Swam LSU’s third-best time all season in the 50 freestyle, finishing the event in 23.74 at the Nike Cup Invitational … Swam the 100 freestyle in a time of 51.23 at the Nike Cup, the second-best mark by any Lady Tiger during the season … Also had the team’s second-fastest time in the 200 freestyle at the Nike Cup, swimming the event in a time of 1:51.61 … Swam the 500-free in a time of 5:00.08 at the Nike Cup … Part of LSU’s team that placed second in the 200-yard freestyle relay at the Nike Cup (1:34.99) … Swam in all three freestyle relay events as well as the 50, 100, and 200-yard freestyle events at the SEC Championships … Best finish at the SEC’s was a 28th-place finish in the preliminaries of the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 52.56 … Earned her second varsity letter.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2000-01)
Traveled to the SEC Championships as a freshman and finished in the top 16 in the 1650 freestyle competition … Recorded the fifth fastest time in school history in the 500 freestyle at the Nike Cup (4:53.03) … Swam the team’s second-fastest times of the season in four events, including the 200 and 1000 freestyle competitions … Played a vital role in the Lady Tigers’ long distance relay events … Earned her first varsity letter.
PRIOR TO LSU
Member of the South African National swimming team since the age of 12 … Represented South Africa at the World Short Course Championships in Sweden in 1997 and Hong Kong in 1999 … South African national champion in five events, including the 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800-meter freestyle events … Received Junior South African Colours from 1993-98, and Senior South African Colours from 1997-99 … Represented South Africa at the World High School Games in Shanghai, China in 1998.
PERSONAL
Born Oct. 9, 1981 … Parents are John and Maureen Leslie … Majoring in anthropology.
DONNA’S TOP TIMES
50-yard freestyle 23.46 2002 Nike Cup Invitational
100-yard freestyle 51.56 2002 Nike Cup Invitational
200-yard freestyle 1:50.88 2000 Alabama
500-yard freestyle 4:53.03 2000 Nike Cup Invitational
1000-yard freestyle 10:24.03 2000 Florida State
1650-yard freestyle 17:04.44 2000 Nike Cup Invitational
200-yard individual medley 2:14.49 2003 vs. UL-Monroe and Delta State