World Championship bronze medalist and four-time World Junior Champion Ksawery Masiuk will defer his enrollment at the University of Texas until the fall of 2025. That pushes back the original commitment plan that was for him to arrive mid-season in the next few weeks.
Masiuk cited “formalities” as the reason for the delay.
This is a significant blow to Texas’ hopes of rising all the way to the NCAA title in the first year under new Director of Swimming Bob Bowman, who last year led Arizona State to the crown. While the Longhorns are still in the hunt thanks to other transfers and some big early-season performances from swimmers like Rex Maurer, Masiuk was projected to be a key piece that gave the Texas faithful hope of a return to the top of the standings after a 7th-place finish at last year’s meet.
Masiuk is best-known as a backstroker, but is a capable sprint freestyler as well – an area where the Longhorns have a gap in this year’s roster.
Masiuk’s Best Times LCM/SCM:
- 50 free – 22.77/22.03
- 100 free – 48.62/46.92
- 200 free – 1:48.93/1:45.58
- 50 back – 24.44/23.29
- 100 back – 52.58/50.43
- 200 back – 1:56.48/1:52.86
- 50 fly – 23.59/22.94
- 100 fly – 52.31/50.33
Texas’ top 50 freestyler this year is Garrett Gould, who swam 19.38 in the team’s post-invite dual meet a couple weeks ago. Will Modglin leads the team in the 100 free in 42.08, but is also the team’s top backstroker so far this season by a lot (though transfer Hubert Kos hasn’t really broken through yet this season after finishing 4th at NCAAs last year in the 100).
By comparison, Gould’s best LCM 50 free is 22.76 and Modglin’s best LCM 100 free is 49.07, times that Masiuk is already equal to or better than, so he would make an immediate impact on those relays.
Today, Masiuk would project to have somewhere north of a 40-point impact on Texas’ outcome at the NCAA Championships, which would be crucial points in an expected battle with Indiana and Cal for the title.
Masiuk won bronze medals at the 2022 and 2024 World Aquatics Championships in the 50 backstroke, was on Poland’s history-making 400 free relay bronze medal at the 2024 World Short Course Swimming Championships, and won six medals, including gold in the 50 and 100 back, at the 2022 World Junior Championships.
He adds to that six European Junior Championship gold medals and 11 total medals at the 2021 and 2022 meets.
Masiuk turned 20 earlier in December.
The Texas men return to racing on January 10th when they host SMU. Two weeks later they will host the biggest non-championship meet of the season against Arizona State, NC State, and Virginia.
