During his two years at Williston Academy, Jim Edwards was a 12x All-American swimmer in six different events (50, 100, 200, 400 free, 200 relay and 400 relay) while setting 10 national records.

“Without a doubt, the most outstanding member of the team was Jim Edwards,” the yearbook noted at the end of his senior year. “During the season, he bettered his own national mark of 1964 in the 200-yard free-style by one second, turning in a 1:47.3.”

The yearbook went on to describe how Jim had “smashed” the national mark in the 100 free by .5 second, and took on Olympian Don Schollander during a competition between Williston and the Yale freshman.

“Schollander, who later said it would take ‘two months to recover from that one,’ swam a 0:47.5 to Jim’s 0.47.6,” The Log noted.

Twice voted New Hampshire Male Athletic of the Year, Jim appeared in Sports Illustrated, competed in the 1964 US Olympic Trials (missing the squad by 0.1 sec), and was a member of the AAU squad that competed in Germany in 1966, an event in which he finished third in the 100 Free and second in the 400 Medley Relay.

While at the University of North Carolina, Jim set American records in the 110 free and the 4×220 relay, and a world record as the anchor of the 440-yard free relay.

The Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, dinner, and reception were held on Saturday, June 6, 2015. Jim Edward’s award was presented to him by Kevin Hoben ’65.

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