Inducted 2021

A five-year letterman and team captain for three years, Tom Younger ’74 is inducted into the Baylor Sports Hall of Fame perhaps as one of the most valuable swimmers in the storied history of the sport at Baylor.

At the time of his graduation, he held school records in the 200 individual medley, the 100 freestyle, the 100 butterfly, the 100 backstroke, and was a member of the record-setting 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams. Even more impressive, and important to the Baylor team, is the fact that Younger graduated while holding the school record for team points scored during a season and during a career. He was the recipient of the Kafoed Trophy (Outstanding Swimmer) his junior and senior years.

Part of Baylor‘s state championship teams in 1972 and 1974, Younger won individual state championships in the 200 individual medley, the 200 freestyle, and the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. A highly versatile swimmer, Younger was a top ten Tennessee high school performer in seven events while being named Honorable Mention All-American in the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

Younger continued his swimming career for two years at the University of Tennessee before health problems forced him out of the pool. Those problems did not force him out of the sport, however, as he finished his UT career as a coach for the Lady Vols’ swim team. As a swimmer or a staff member, he was part of SEC championships in 1975, ’76, and ’77. He graduated from Tennessee in 1979 with a B.S. in banking and finance.

Younger and his family live in Huntsville, Ala. where he is a senior vice president with J. Smith Lanier and Company.