With the end of the season finally here for the Iowa men’s swimming and diving team, Iowa has one relay team, two individual swimmers, and one diver that qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Grant Betulius, Roman Trussov, Jackson Halsmer, and Jerzy Twarowski will compete in the 200- and 400-medley relay. Individually, Betulius will race in the 100 and 200 backstroke, and Trussov will swim in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. 

Head coach Marc Long has emphasized having his relays move up into a scoring position will be key to the Hawkeyes’ placing at the meet. The top 16 relays and individuals in prelims advance to the finals at night.

“There’s only a handful of relays that make it,” Long said.  “So it’s really about who steps up and gets that little bit extra edge to get into that ninth swim position that will take top 16.”

Long hopes to get into the top 16 in the relay event in order to be able to achieve a score that will put Iowa on a national level. 

Individually, Betulius is feeling confident in his race, and he is especially excited about the 100 backstroke.

“One hundred back has always been the race that I have liked and been the best at,” Betulius said.  “It is cool to qualify for that and to have one more race to go out with a bang.”

Betulius is a redshirt senior, so this will be the last meet for him after a five-year career as a Hawkeye.  He will leave as the program’s record holder in both backstroke events regardless of his finish this weekend.

Trussov is also ready and excited to race.

“Everyone is ready,” he said.  “Everyone is swimming their best so far this year, and home-pool advantage is definitely going to help us.”

Trussov also said the full team is healthy coming into this meet and that he is feeling strong for the breaststroke races. Trussov has a tough task in his events. Big Ten champion Bruno Ortiz or Michigan and American record holder Kevin Cordes of Arizona will be just two competitors in the crowded 100 breaststroke.

It’s unlikely the Hawkeyes will take the team title. The team isn’t focused on getting a certain time, they’re more focused on beating the people they’re racing and swimming again in finals.   

“If you look at the last meet, we broke three school records, which means they went to that meet, competed, and got faster, so that’s how we want to approach this meet,” Long said.  “It’s about stepping up and really the clocks are off. You’re just racing the person next to you.

“Good things will happen if you’re able to knock off the right people that’s all it is, it’s just racing people.”