2025 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
- March 26-29, 2025
- Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center, Federal Way, Washington
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Start Times: Prelims: 10 AM ׀ Finals: 6 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
- Psych Sheet
- Eligible Relays
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Live Results
- Live Recaps
Jassen Yep added his name to the illustrious list of Indiana breaststroke legends last night, winning the 200 breast in 1:48.30, making him the #3 performer all-time. Yep, a walk-on to the Indiana swim team who came into his freshman season with a 1:57 in the 200 breast, reflects on his growth as hoosier and what this swim means to him and the program.
As someone who was technically considered a “walk-on” for a D1 program despite having multiple recruiting conversations and a recruiting trip with the coaches and team I ended up swimming for, I wonder if Jassen already had an academic scholarship before committing to swim at IU? In my situation, I already had an academic full ride, so I didn’t need athletic money.
Granted, I was never a 1:57 200 breaststroker, so who knows.
What a great story! Love this kid’s attitude and congrats his last college swim achievement! I am gonna let my boys read this. I don’t understand why some folks here are tangling on using walk-on or not. Going from HS 1:57 to 1:48 NCAA champ is unheard of to me. The closest story I know was John Shebat in Texas, which is still not as dramatic as this one. Anyone here can tell me an even more dramatic one? Amazing story!
I think there are some multisport late bloomers that would fit the bill of a more dramatic drop. For breastroke, Andrew Wilson comes to mind. He dropped down from 59.4 to 50.9 in the 100 breast and essentially an NT to 1:50.8 in the 200 over the course of his college career. He followed up his stellar college progression with a good pro career, eventually snagging an individual Olympic spot in both events 3 years after graduating.
Yep’s story is very interesting because 1:57 is already a good time and 1:57->1:48 is an insane time drop for someone who was a dedicated year-round swimmer.
All the late bloomer stories I can think of give hope for kids who came to… Read more »
Get this man to swim long course
Congratulations kid, you’re story will live on forever at IU
jassen just wasnt a walk on, dude was a stud in highschool, why do they keep pushing this untrue narrative
Just because he was fast in HS doesn’t mean he wasn’t a walk-on
He has a commitment post on his instagram back in 2022 and signed a letter of intent..
A walk-on means he was not on scholarship
Nuh uh
Yes it does lol not really up for debate
My interpretation has always been that walk-ons are non-recruited athletes. Otherwise all Ivy league and DIII athletes would be walk-ons
Normally you wouldn’t use walk-on to describe athletes from those schools because it’s understood that none of the athletes are on athletic scholarship. So like you wouldn’t talk about a walk-on swimmer at Yale, because yes technically they are all walk-ons
Since he was recruited he could’ve at least asked the coach for a small sum. Walk-on or poor negotiator? This guy should’ve been on scholarship with a 1:57.
I mean if you want to say that he’s a poor negotiator without knowing any of the facts then that’s ok, but it wouldn’t change his status as a walk-on lol it’s not like oh well he could have gotten a scholarship so really he’s not a walk-on
That’s great that that is your interpretation, but by definition a walk on is someone on no scholarship
I think it has been a decade (or more) since a 157 would get $ at IU
Maybe wikipedia is wrong, but seems like there are multiple definitions here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk-on_(sports)
I’ve seen him swim under Coach Abi Liu at PEAK since he was twelve. He’s a great swimmer with a great attitude, and he deserves it.
If there was a roster limit, he wouldn’t be able to do this.
^^^
Very true. Jassen had other offers, but trusted in IU program, never stopped working. The men breaststrokers develop later than other strokes, it is crucial to provide an environment allow these young men to develop!
I admittedly am not a IU fan, but he seems like a nice kid that was getting a dream come true. Hard not to like him and be happy for that moment….and maybe I am biased because of my IU feelings but would have been better if it was not a 5th year Covid opportunity that allowed it.
Thanks to grant house who made sure these stories won’t be possible in the world of swimming anymore
Agree. We’re trying to get membership numbers back at the club level while college swimming is being destroyed. The goal for many kids is to swim in college. Now I’m afraid we’re going to start losing numbers again because kids are going to think there are no college opportunities. Doubt Ray would look at this talented athlete these days with his pre college times. Makes me really sad, especially for men’s swimming.
With capped roster limits. This may be an opportunity to start retaining or capturing new club swimmers for clubs located at these d1 schools.
Possibly even having the college club swimming route be more robust with true coaching, goals meets ect.
This is a good opportunity for clubs not a deterrent .
Totally agree with you but there is a significant difference in accessing resources varsity vs club, not just athletically also academically
Exactly. Student coaches. No athletic cafeteria. No tutors. No trainers, nutritionists, PT, etc. You’re not going to develop college swimmers just having them do it “on their own”. The club resources at many schools are basically a few open lanes during off hours often late at night.
Grant House is just a figurehead. If he wasn’t involved then they would have found another pawn.
Regardless: it’s a damn shame that the House settlement is going to destroy college swimming as we know it.
Imagine walking on with a 1:57 200 breast
He was probably what some might call a “preferred walk-on” or “recruited walk-on,” where they are actively recruited and offered a guaranteed roster spot, but no athletic aid. These athletes will still take official visits, have a signing day (usually these are letters that honor a coach’s commitment, but there is no money involved), and be an anticipated part of the team. This differs from a “true” walk-on that might show up on campus and try out for a spot.
There’s so much confusion about the term “walk on” in swimming. Many, if not most, college swimmers are not getting any swimming money. A recruited swimmer who is offered a roster spot is not what I consider a walk-on — it’s just a swimmer not getting athletic aid.
If that’s not what you consider a walk-on then walk-ons are essentially non-existent on D1 teams. People don’t show up on campus and try out for spots any more.
Seriously, a walk on with a us olympic trial cut. That’s insane, but like ole blue eyes sang, he did it his was.