Indianapolis, Ind. -- On Wednesday morning, Wheaton junior Tess Boyer achieved a noteworthy milestone when she became the first Thunder women's swimmer since 2017 to earn All-America awards in more than one season. 24 hours later, Boyer went one step further in the second of her three events at this year's NCAA Division III Championships by claiming her first career First Team All-America honor in the women's 400-yard individual medley. The accomplished swimmer qualified for this evening's 400 IM Championship final as one of the top eight competitors in the country, and her resulting national recognition followed her Second Team All-America nod in the same event last year, making Boyer a three-time All-American in her career to date.

The two-time CCIW Women's Swimming Student-Athlete of the Year came into her strongest event on Thursday owning the fourth-fastest seed time in the 400 IM in all of Division III this season. While Boyer did not manage to match the conference record mark of 4:21.41 that she set at last month's CCIW Championships today, she was still able to secure a spot in the race's Championship final thanks to her eighth-placed showing in this morning's 32-swimmer competition.

This Top 8 finish ensured her of a CSCAA First Team All-America prize, confirming Boyer's status as the first women's swimmer from Wheaton to be named a First Team All-American in any event since 2019.

In tonight's 400-yard IM final, Boyer improved upon her prelim time mark by nearly a full second, registering a 4:22.26 count to finish fifth in the talented field. Her fifth-place standing marks the highest finish by a Thunder women's swimmer in an NCAA Championship final since fellow All-American Brooke Barnes came in fifth in the 100-yard freestyle competition seven years ago.

After reaching new heights on the national stage and adding another trophy to her expanding collection, Boyer will wrap up her three-day schedule at the Division III meet on Friday by taking part in the women's 200-yard butterfly race. Prelims begin at 9:00 AM Central Time, with the women's 200 fly the fourth event on tomorrow's itinerary after the 200-yard medley relay competitions and the men's butterfly swim.