Josh Boss received an afternoon text from his old Hope College swimming and diving teammate and did a double-take. Quickly, a big smile followed.

The Flying Dutchmen's 100-yard breaststroke record that Boss held for 25 years finally fell last month. Freshman Luke Newcomb surpassed Boss by clocking a time of 54.54 seconds on Saturday, Nov. 23, during the Day 2 prelims of the Total Performance Invitational hosted by Kenyon College (Ohio).

Newcomb and Boss met for the first time earlier this month when Newcomb replaced Boss on the Kresge Natatorium record board on campus. Head coach Jake Taber invited Boss to practice.

Boss relished the opportunity to congratulate Newcomb, who topped the 56.69 Boss swam in 1999.

"I got a text from Taber. 'Hey buddy, I thought you'd be excited to see this. I'm excited for you to meet Luke; he's a great guy,'" Boss said, recalling when he first learned of Newcomb's achievement. "I had to look at the message twice. I thought it was awesome. Luke has a lot more potential, too."

The 100 breaststroke record was the Flying Dutchmen's oldest and the last one from seasons beginning with 19.

Boss set the mark at the 1999 NCAA Division III National Championships. He also set a national record while winning the first of three national titles in the 100 breaststroke. 

Boss became the national champion in the 200 breaststroke, winning the event four times. He was chosen as national swimmer of the year in 2001.

Newcomb said Boss is a legend.

"As soon as I joined the team, I heard stories about his NCAA records, swimming with a broken hand," said Newcomb, who's from Brighton, Michigan (Brighton HS). "Fifty-four was an insane time for 1999. I didn't expect to get it until the leagues. I'm real excited."

Newcomb's 54.44 ranks ninth in NCAA Division III and first in the MIAA this season. It is a provisional cut for nationals.

No. 17-ranked Hope next competes in a split-quad meet on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Wheaton College (Illinois) for swimming and Kalamazoo College for diving.

Taber said he knew Newcomb was capable of challenging for Hope's 100 breaststroke record. Before arriving at Hope, Newcomb swam the event in 54.56 seconds.

"It's so much fun because I swam with Josh; he was captain my freshman and sophomore years. It was an iconic record for what it represented in DIII swimming and for him to be an inaugural first-team ballot Hall of Famer," Taber said. "There were talks when we set those breaststroke records that those were the records that would never be broken.

"It took a minute, here we are 25 years later, but it couldn't happen to a nicer man than Luke. Knowing Josh, what he represents and what he's about, it's fitting for Luke to be the guy to come in and take down that mark."