In 2018, Van Mathias, a 17-year-old swimmer from Beaverton, Oregon, made his debut for the U.S. junior national team at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Fiji. Fast forward to today, Mathias makes his mark on the U.S. senior national team at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.

During the eight years between these milestones, Mathias swam five seasons for Indiana University. After retiring from competition, he became the director of operations for the Hoosiers swim and dive program. Then he came out of retirement, transitioning from a butterfly and individual medley swimmer to becoming the fastest sprint breaststroker in U.S. history.

At the current Pan Pacific Championships, Mathias races for the first time with a national team swim cap displaying both the American flag and his last name. The cap symbolizes his arrival on the senior international scene.

“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,” Mathias stated. “Hopefully it’s going to feel really good on my head.”

Mathias showed moderate success in previous events, ranking 41st and 48th in two butterfly events at the Tokyo Olympic Trials, with a best NCAA finish of 25th. In 2023, he switched to breaststroke before the Big Ten Championships and placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke at NCAAs. Despite contemplating retirement again, he felt a calling back to the sport.

After returning to Oregon and taking on high school coaching, Mathias was invited by his former coach, Ray Looze, to apply for a director of operations position. He took the role and moved back to Bloomington, where curiosity led him to the pool for occasional sessions.

Associate head coaches John Long, Jr. and Cory Chitwood noticed Mathias’s speed despite minimal training. Conversations at the 2025 USA Swimming National Championships in Indianapolis sparked an idea. With the addition of the 50m breaststroke to the 2028 Olympic program, Mathias opted to pursue competitive swimming once more.

After commencing official swim times after two and a half years, he swiftly qualified for his senior international debut at the Pan Pacific Championships. In 2026, Mathias established himself by breaking American records in the 50m and 100m breaststroke events.

Mathias’s training philosophy of high intensity with minimal distances, inspired by Australian swimmer Cam McEvoy, adapts to the necessities of his role. He balances his job and swimming by ensuring workouts fit into his schedule, even if it means dealing with work-related interruptions while still wet from the pool.

The responsibilities of his director position bring challenges, such as juggling travel logistics amid flight cancellations, but Mathias embraces the role with resilience.

This week is important for Mathias, competing in multiple events at the Pan Pacific Championships. While he does not focus heavily on medals, personal bests remain a goal. As he reflects on the 2018 Junior Pan Pacs, he considers the possibilities of reaching the Olympics.

“I got a lot of people telling me that. I’m trying to ignore it,” Mathias commented. “Having a job and all these other things going on in my life, it’s easy to get wrapped up in that stuff. But if I can close my world and perception, and take it day by day, eventually we’ll get there.”

The journey of Van Mathias from a junior swimmer to a senior national team star showcases dedication and adaptability.