Grinnell College Athletics

On a March 2013 evening in a Shenandoah, Texas, swimming pool, Michael Brus accomplished something no other Grinnellian had in the College's illustrious swimming history. Brus won the 200-yard backstroke at the NCAA D-III National Championships to become Grinnell's first national swimming champion. His time of 1:44.81 also shattered a NCAA D-III record.
 
Brus was a frequent competitor on the national stage, qualifying for 12 national championship events, three each from 2011-2014. He was an eight time All-American and qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200-meter backstroke. He was a 26-time Midwest Conference champion, winning at least five events every year. In fact, he was undefeated individually in all four years at the conference meet. Predictably, Brus was chosen as the Midwest Conference Outstanding Swimmer all four years.
 
Brus holds the Grinnell College records in the 100 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 200 individual medley (IM), and 400 IM. He's also part of school record relays in the 400 freestyle, 800 freestyle, 200 medley, and 400 medley. He has pool records in six different events at the Russell K. Osgood Pool on Grinnell's campus.
 
Academically, Brus was chosen as a 2014 College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar-Athlete and a first-team Scholar All-American. He also earned the Morgan F. Taylor '26 award for outstanding athlete in a single sport.
 
A chemistry major at Grinnell, Brus is now an analytical chemist at LyondellBasell, a chemical manufacturer in Cincinnati. He continues to swim for the Cincinnati Marlins, a masters swim team.