Swimming

MacArthur High School

Class of 1995

Inducted 9/29/23

After success with the Decatur Swim Club as a youth swimmer, Shade made state all four years of high school and burst on the national scene as a senior.

As a freshman, he took third at state in the 100-yard butterfly, which would become his signature event. As a sophomore he was fourth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in the 200 individual medley. He won his first state title as a junior — in the 100 butterfly — and also took seventh again in the 200 IM and 12th in the 200 medley relay. In the spring after his junior season, Shade took third in the 50 butterfly and fourth in the 100 butterfly at nationals as part of the U.S. National Junior Swim Team — one of only two U.S. males to win a medal that year.

As a senior, he won two more state titles, earning the 1995 Illinois Swimmer of the Year by setting a state record in the 100 butterfly at the state meet — his second straight state title in the event — and also won the 50 freestyle, earning high school All-American honors. The 100 butterfly record was the longest-standing record in IHSA swimming at the time. Following his senior year, Shade dominated the Illinois Senior Swimming Championships with four first-place finishes, one second and one third, plus swimming legs of three winning relays.

Tucker went on to a successful college career at North Carolina. He was a three-time ACC champion in the 100-yard butterfly and a four-time All-America selection. He was ACC Championships MVP in 1996, and team MVP in ‘97 and ‘98 and ‘99.