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Men's Swimming and Diving

2025-26 Men's Swim & Dive Roster

Brayden Taivassalo Season 2025-26

PositionBreaststroke
ClassJunior
HometownNewmarket, Ontario, Canada
Previous SchoolTexas
  • Big 12 Team Champion (2024)
  • Big 12 Champion
    • 200 breast (2024)
  • Big 12 Newcomer of the Week (Nov. 8, 2023) 
  • 2023 Pan American Games Silver Medalist - 200 breast, Canada

AS A SOPHOMORE (2024-25)

  • Third in the 100 breast with a time of 54.07 and was fourth in the 200 breast (1:58.23) in the win against SMU
  • Was fourth in the 100 breast with a time of 54.39 and fourth in the 200 breast (2:00.63) against Georgia
  • Swam the 100 breast in 53.84 and was third in the 200 breast at 1:67.67 against LSU 
  • Finished fourth in the 200 breast with a time of 1:53.60 against Indiana

AS A FRESHMAN (2023-24)

  • Won gold in the 200 breast (1:53.28) and silver in the 100 breast (52.28) at the Big 12 Championship
  • Took fifth in the 200 breast (2:00.03) and seventh in the 100 breast (54.83) at SMU
  • Finished third in the 200 IM with a swim of 1:49.77 at The Sterkel Classic
  • Placed second in the 200-meter breast (2:18.01) and fourth in the 100-meter breast (1:03.25) against TCU
  • Joined Chris O'Connor, Sam Artmann and Ethan Doehler to take second in the 200-meter medley relay (1:41.02/28.83 breast) against TCU
  • Won the 100 breast (54.48) and took fourth in the 200 breast (1:59.16) at Duke
  • Teamed with Alec Filipovic, Sam Artmann and Cole Crane to win the 200 medley relay in 1:27.06 (24.48 breast) at Duke
  • Took fourth in the 100 breast with a swim of 54.47 at No. 3 NC State
  • Competed in both the 100 breast (52.80, NCAA-B) and the 200 breast (1:53.89, NCAA-B) at the Texas Invitational
  • Was on the fifth-place 400 medley relay team (3:12.58), finished second in the 100 breast (53.36) and the 200 breast (1:54.96) in the meet against Texas A&M and Georgia Tech
  • Opened his collegiate career at the Sam Kendricks Orange & White Classic for the orange team and won the 200 breast with a time of 1:57.34 and finished third in the 100 breast with a time of 53.82. 

Prior to Texas:
• Victor Davis Award Recipient
• Fastest 18 & Under 200 breaststroke in Canadian History
• World Top-30 in the 200 breast in 2023
• 2023 World Aquatics Championships participant
• Canadian Junior National Team (2022)
• Canadian Senior National Team (2023)

Personal: Son to Petja and Andrea Taivassalo... BRother to Kesa... Grandfather Keijo holds the largest impact on his life as a Boston Marathon Champion, Masters Worl Track and Field Half Marathon Champion and is a great role model... Chose Texas because of the winning swim tradition and the weather... Wants to train with the best... Started swimming at 6 years old...