LSU Gold
Position
Individual Medley/breaststroke
Height
6'4
Class
Freshman
Hometown
Kingwood, Texas
High School
Kingwood HS

LSU Record-holder in the 400 medley relay
2009 U.S. Open Participant

JUNIOR SEASON (2011-12)
Talented breaststroker who rejoined the program after taking off year and a half … Drastically improved as the season progressed … Posted a pair of 10th place finishes in the breaststroke events at the SEC Championships … Registered the program’s seventh fastest all-time 200 breast mark (1:58.71) and a season low 100 breast time of 54.66 at SEC’s … Besides SEC’s, competed in all but one dual meet and the Tennessee Invitational … Finished eighth in the 100 breast (57.34) and 11th in the 200 breast (2:05.16) at the Tennessee Invitational … Earned a valuable point in the 100 breast (58.53) in a two-point victory over Alabama … Grabbed fourth in the 100 breast against Florida … Received his second varsity letter.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2009-10)
Swam in five dual meets and the Cougar Classic Invitational before leaving the program for personal reasons.

NATIONAL COMPETITION (2009)
Competed in the 2009 U.S. Open Swimming Championships, qualifying for second swims in both breaststroke events … Placed 14th overall in the 200 breast with a time of 2:16.10 … Also swam to a 23rd-place finish in the 100 breast (1:03.62).

FRESHMAN SEASON (2008-09)
Emerged as the Tigers’ top breaststroker … One of only two freshmen to reach the ‘A’ final of the 100 breaststroke at the SEC Championships … Placed eighth in that event with a time of 54.44 … Qualified for that race with a career-best time of 54.23, fifth-best in school history … Posted an 11th-place finish in the 200 breast at SEC’s with a mark of 1:59.64 … Also part of both school record-breaking medley relays at SEC’s … Helped the 400 medley relay squad earn third-place and a spot on the medal podium with a record time of 3:10.54 … Also a member of the Tigers’ record-setting 200 medley relay, which finished fifth with a time of 1:26.81 … Named the SEC Male Freshman of the Week for his performance at Texas A&M’s Art Adamson Invitational … Touched the wall in 54.91 to claim fourth-place … Took fifth in the 200 breast with a career-best time of 1:59.08 … Also played a role on the men’s runner-up 400 medley relay team … Captured first-place in the 100 breast against No. 4 Florida … Swam to victory in the 100 breast versus Florida Atlantic … Part of a 1-2 LSU finish in the 100 breast at the LSU Invitational … Won the 100 freestyle against Delta State … Recognized as the men’s top newcomer at the program’s annual banquet … Earned his first varsity letter.

PRIOR TO LSU
Three-year letterwinner and 100-breaststroke record-holder at swimming and diving powerhouse Kingwood High School in Kingwood, Texas … Pivotal member of the 2006 national championship team and two state championship squads … Took the 100-breaststroke state title in 2007

PERSONAL
Born June 6, 1990 in Hanford, Calif. … Parents are Bishop and Kathy Decker … Has two sisters, Ashleigh and Lisa, and one brother, Joe … Cousin Sean Barker is a former LSU baseball player … Majoring in construction management.

BEN’S TOP TIMES
100 breaststroke , 54.23, 2009 SEC Championships
200 breaststroke, 1:58.71, 2012 SEC Championships
200 individual medley, 1:52.03, 2009 SEC Championships

 

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