Iowa City West Boys Swim Team Wins State Title

The Trojans clinched their first state championship since 2020 with a narrow victory over Linn-Mar.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Iowa City West boys swimming team won the Iowa high school state swimming title, edging out Linn-Mar by a score of 224-220 points at the Campus Recreation & Wellness Center in Iowa City. West secured the state trophy with a strong performance, including a win in the 200-yard medley relay to open the finals. Though they did not have any individual state champions, the Trojans got elite production across the board, led by senior Winston Fan and junior Ethan Landon.

Why it matters

This is a significant achievement for the Iowa City West swim program, as they captured their first state title in six years. The victory highlights the team's dedication and hard work, as they were determined to reclaim the state championship after finishing as runners-up the previous season.

The details

West opened the finals by winning the 200-yard medley relay, setting the tone for their state title run. They also clinched the 200-yard freestyle relay. While the Trojans did not have any individual state champions, several swimmers had strong performances, including Fan placing second in the 100-yard butterfly and third in the 100-yard breaststroke, and Landon finishing second in the 100-yard backstroke and fifth in the 100-yard butterfly.

  • The Iowa City West boys swimming team won the state title on February 14, 2026.
  • West last won the state championship in 2020.

The players

Iowa City West

The Iowa City West boys swimming team clinched the state title, their first since 2020 and fourth overall in school history.

Winston Fan

A senior on the Iowa City West team, Fan placed second in the 100-yard butterfly and third in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Ethan Landon

A junior on the Iowa City West team, Landon placed second in the 100-yard backstroke and fifth in the 100-yard butterfly.

Byron Butler

The head coach of the Iowa City West boys swimming team, who was named the coaching staff of the year.

Linn-Mar

The runner-up team at the Iowa high school state swimming meet, finishing with 220 points.

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What they’re saying

“Since day one, we've been goal oriented; we wanted this thing more than anything and it just means so much. We've been putting in the work since every morning and every night at practice and it paid off. We just had to hit this taper and we came in ranked third and we ended up being first ... so we won the meet and it means the world.”

— Winston Fan, Senior (press-citizen.com)

“They were so locked in on winning this title and doing everything they could for the team. I can't say enough about them and the seniors in this group. They're just phenomenal people and they're really, really great athletes. I'm just lucky to be here.”

— Byron Butler, Head Coach (press-citizen.com)

What’s next

The Iowa City West boys swimming team will look to defend their state title next season, as they aim to build on this championship victory.

The takeaway

Iowa City West's triumph showcases the dedication and teamwork of the Trojans' swimmers, who were determined to reclaim the state crown after finishing as runners-up the previous year. This victory underscores the program's sustained excellence and the continued strength of high school swimming in Iowa.