Van Mathias’ Journey from Junior Swimmer to National Record Holder

In 2018, Van Mathias, a young swimmer from Beaverton, Oregon, participated in the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Fiji as part of the U.S. junior national team. Today, he begins his U.S. senior national team career at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.

Over the past eight years, Mathias has experienced significant changes. He competed for five seasons with Indiana University, then retired from swimming. He worked as the director of operations for the Hoosiers swim and dive program before deciding to return to competition. During this time, he transitioned from a butterfly and individual medley specialist to becoming the fastest sprint breaststroker in U.S. history.

At these Pan Pacific Championships, Mathias will sport a national team swim cap bearing both an American flag and his last name. In 2018, he wore an American flag cap at the Junior Pan Pacs, but only senior national team members have their last names printed.

Reflecting on this milestone, Mathias expressed excitement, saying, “You grow up watching swimming, watching all the biggest stars in the sport, and they always have their last name on the cap, especially at the biggest meets, the Olympics, things like that.”

Mathias faced challenges along the way. At the Tokyo Olympic Trials, he placed 41st and 48th in butterfly events. His best NCAA Championships finish was 25th in his final college season. He switched to breaststroke before the 2023 Big Ten Championships, finishing second in the 100-yard breastroke at NCAAs. Despite success, he considered retiring from swimming again.

“For now calling it done, end with a bang,” he told SwimSwam after the 2023 NCAAs. “But, who knows, you might see me later on.”

A year later, back in Oregon and coaching a high school team, Mathias received a call from his former head coach at Indiana, Ray Looze. Looze encouraged him to apply for the director of operations position, which Mathias accepted and moved back to Bloomington.

Despite minimal swimming during his retirement, Mathias began a weightlifting regimen with family support. This physical transformation saw him increase his weight from 200 to 235 pounds. Training near the pool reignited his interest, and under coaches John Long, Jr. and Cory Chitwood, he began swimming sporadically.

In 2025, during the USA Swimming National Championships in Indianapolis, Mathias, in his official role, supported Indiana swimmers. Conversations about U.S. men’s breaststroke performance led to a new opportunity. Long suggested Mathias focus on the 50m breaststroke, now included in the 2028 Olympics.

Two and a half weeks later, Mathias recorded his first official swim times after over two years. He soon achieved the fastest 50m breast by an American that year and secured a spot for the Pan Pacs. In 2026, he broke American records in the 50m and 100m breast events.

Mathias adopted a different training philosophy inspired by Australian swimmer Cam McEvoy. Unlike typical sprinters who swim 2,000 to 5,000 yards per practice, Mathias focused on high-intensity, short-distance swims. Time constraints often limited him to 1,000 to 1,500-yard sessions.

Balancing his director of operations role with swimming demanded flexibility. On March 15, 2024, Mathias handled the canceled flight crisis for the NCAA Women’s Championships, showcasing his dedication to the team’s success.

This week, Mathias competes in multiple events at the Pan Pacific Championships. Despite his busy schedule, he aims for personal-best times and stays focused on his goals, managing external expectations and distractions.