Emil LaSida, Case Western Reserve Record-Holder, 21

Passages: Emil LaSida, Case Western Reserve Record-Holder, 21

Emil LaSida, a junior swimmer at Case Western Reserve, died on Sept. 15 on the age of 21.

LaSida final yr set the college file within the males’s 50 freestyle, the primary to interrupt 20 seconds in program historical past with a time of 19.98 seconds at NCAA Division III Championships in 2025.

A school announcement of his passing didn’t embody a reason behind loss of life.

LaSida was a local of Alexandria, Va., captaining his crew at Alexandria City High and incomes All-Met honorable point out honors from the Washington Post. He majored in pc engineering at CWRU.

LaSida is the holder of seven faculty data, together with the 50 free, 100 free and 100 again and 4 relays. At NCAAs in 2025, he completed fifteenth within the 50 free (his 19.98 time was in a swim-off to achieve the B remaining), twenty fifth within the 100 again and fortieth within the 100 free. LaSida was additionally a member of the crew’s management council the final two years.

“Emil was one of those athletes that every coach would want: He always worked hard, he had a great attitude and was a very respectful person,” CWRU head coach Doug Milliken stated in a college obituary. “And then you couple that with the talent that he had—it was amazing.”

“Emil’s accomplishments speak for themselves, and they reflect his character, investment, and dedication to swimming and discipline,” teammate Caeden Couch stated. “Every single person on the team looks up to Emil as a role model, big brother and, most of all, a friend.”

“[Emil] is the kind of person who offers his seat to someone else, hosts and bakes for his friends, lifts others up at swim meets, and makes sure every person in the room feels comfortable,” swimmer Claire Kozma stated. “He did everything with grace and out of love, always considering the needs of others.”

LaSida is survived by dad and mom Lolo and Maya, brother Lufti and relations internationally. The household will host a non-public memorial service.