Ultra Swim Swimmer of the Month is a recurring SwimSwam feature shedding light on a U.S.-based swimmer who has proven themselves over the past month. As with any item of recognition, Swimmer of the Month is a subjective exercise meant to highlight one athlete whose work holds noteworthy context – perhaps a swimmer who was visibly outperforming other swimmers over the month, or one whose accomplishments slipped through the cracks among other high-profile swims. If your favorite athlete wasn’t selected, feel free to respectfully recognize them in our comment section.
It was nothing short of a phenomenal month of November for Texas sophomore Rex Maurer, following up an impressive showing against Indiana with a stunning performance at the Longhorns’ midseason invtiational, highlighted by his all-time record swim in the men’s 500 free.
At the beginning of the month against the Hoosiers, Maurer set personal bests in the 100 free (42.83), 200 free (1:32.13), 500 free (4:11.20) and 1000 free (8:44.62), and he also posted a time of 3:40.90 in the 400 IM, which ranked #1 in the country at the time.
Last weekend at the Texas Hall of Fame Invite, Maurer was even better, kicking things off by shattering the American Record in the 500 free, clocking 4:04.45 to break Kieran Smith‘s mark of 4:06.32 set in 2020 (and matched in 2021). Texas post-grad Carson Foster had unofficially lowered Smith’s record just an hour or so prior to Maurer’s swim in 4:05.81.
For Maurer, the performance ranks him #2 all-time behind Leon Marchand, who set the NCAA and U.S. Open Record last season in 4:02.31, and marked a near seven-second personal best relative to where he was coming into the meet. Maurer had improved his PB set against Indiana in the prelims, breaking 4:10 for the first time in 4:09.49.
In addition to his 500 free victory, Maurer also set lifetime bests en route to wins in the 1650 free (14:30.47) and 400 IM (3:34.19), and set new PBs in the 200 free (1:31.59) and 100 back (45.36) on relay lead-offs.
He posted another best time in the prelims of the 200 back, clocking 1:38.27 before scratching the final.
The Stanford transfer now ranks #1 in the NCAA in three events and fourth in three others.
| Event | Pre-November | v. Indiana | Texas Invite | Improvement % | NCAA Season Rank |
| 100 free | 43.28 | 42.83 | 0.45% | t-69 | |
| 200 free | 1:33.54 | 1:32.13 | 1:31.59 | 2.11% | 4 |
| 500 free | 4:11.88 | 4:11.20 | 4:04.45 | 2.99% | 1 |
| 1000 free | 8:45.26 | 8:44.62 | 0.12% | 4 | |
| 1650 free | 14:54.71 | 14:30.47 | 2.75% | 1 | |
| 100 back | 45.40 | 45.36 | 0.09% | 14 | |
| 200 back | 1:39.75 | 1:38.27 | 1.49% | 4 | |
| 400 IM | 3:38.10 | 3:40.90 | 3:34.19 | 1.81% | 1 |
Additionally, his 400 IM performance ranks him #5 all-time in the event and within eight-tenths of the American Record held by Chase Kalisz (3:33.42).
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It’s very sad and disappointing that there’s no race video of Rex’s American record in the 500 free. I hope that SwimSwam and the swimming community have made this known to Texas swim & dive so that this won’t happen again in the future. Do better.
Where’s the video you filmed?
I’ve very confused as to how there’s videos of their Pentathlon at the start of the season but nobody thought Rex might do something crazy enough to warrant getting a camera out to video before his 500?
With all the hype, the University of Texas better not choke at the 2025 NCAA DI Swimming & Diving Championships.
Does a 4:04 500 free not deserve hype?
Congratulations on maintaining your consistency after Thanksgiving. Texas living RENT FREE in your head. Rex was brilliant at the invite.