In 1997, Jeff Gahan came to Iowa State not only to learn, but to swim competitively. Although he was from McKinney, Tex., he wasn’t the first from his family to attend this university. His mother Terry graduated from here in 1973, while his father, John, did the same a year later.

Now, four years later, Jeff has graduated with a degree in chemical engineering and helped the Cyclones to a 24th place finish at the national championships.

While Jeff matured over the past four years, his former coach was impressed with the amount of poise he showed coming to college.

“He just really grew into the family approach that we take to our team,” said former ISU men’s swimming coach Trip Hedrick. “He contributed as a vocal leader, with his work in the pool, and with his classroom excellence, as well. He was just a great kid to work with.”

Jeff’s two siblings now will continue the legacy of this family.

However, one thing has changed. There will be no more chances for men younger than him to swim as a Cyclone.

That list of men includes his younger brother, Brian. Despite efforts by upperclassmen like Jeff to save the swimming team, the 84 year-old program was cut in early April.

“It’s really frustrating,” Brian said of the cuts. “Considering how well our team did, it still wasn’t enough.”

This year was the first for Brian in what was supposed to be a long career in the ISU program.

It was also a comeback to the sport after leaving it to focus on playing basketball in high school.

“When he came here, it looked like he didn’t have the opportunity to continue playing basketball and asked if he could walk on to the swimming team,” Hedrick said. “From having a four-year layoff, he just blew away everybody’s expectations.”

After placing Brian on the team, Hedrick had a chance to see the freshman’s ability in the pool and character out of it.

“He’s just really a giving and caring person and a very natural leader,” Hedrick said. “He was very well respected by everybody on the team.”

The middle sibling in the Gahan trio saw things from a different viewpoint. Tracy, a player on the ISU women’s basketball team, might not have been a Cyclone swimmer, but she had very close ties to the athletes and Coach Hedrick. She also worked under the program as an instructor last summer.

Upon hearing news of the cuts, she was just as devastated as if she were on the squad.

“It’s pretty hard because I’m more worried about Trip, what the guys are going to do, and what my brothers are going to do,” she said. “To cut a program with that high quality of people, I think, is really hard.”

“When the team was cut, I wanted to make sure Jeff and Brian were OK. I asked Jeff if there was anything I could do because I knew they were going to talk to the A.D. and try to get some help.”

With all three being in season at the same time, Tracy found it difficult to see her brothers in action.

“Either I had a game or they were out of town,” she said. “They came to a lot more of my games than I could to their meets, but every time I could make it to a meet, I would. It’s really depressing thinking that I will never go to another swim meet.”

The cancellation of the team brings changes to a lot of lives. Some swimmers who had not completed their eligibility will transfer to other universities to continue competing.

Brian opted to stay at Iowa State, despite not having the chance to be a part of something he enjoyed.

“It’s kind of like losing a family,” he said. “We’d have 20 to 30 guys that were working towards a common goal. I’ve gained a lot from being part of the team and being around a diverse group of people. Having such a great group of guys and still getting cut shows you that there are things you can’t control. Losing the sport wasn’t that big to me, it was the team.”

Throughout the ordeal, the youngest sibling found support from a familiar source, his real family.

“My parents told Brian that whatever he wanted to do, they would support him,” Tracy said. “They’d help him if he wanted to transfer or stay here. We let it all go on Brian’s shoulders, even though we’re a little biased.”

Jeff’s collegiate career ended earlier this spring and Brian’s was just beginning as the announcement was made. However, Tracy sees problems that both her brothers will have to deal with in the future.

“With Jeff, it kind of sucks, because now he has no reason to come back to Iowa State in five years because Brian and I are gone and there’s no swim team to come back to,” she said. “With Brian, he had already made his group of friends here and they’re all leaving now, so basically, he’s starting over.”

The experience may not have been a pleasant one for any of the swimmers, but some good things can come out of this season.

Now, with the team becoming a memory, Brian will focus on his studies.

However, he won’t forget the time he spent with his older brother over the past year.

“It was a lot of fun being on the same team with [Jeff],” he said. “I had been away from him for the past couple of years, so this year was a chance to know him a little better.”

“Being at the same college brought us all together. When you’re at home, you don’t really interact that much, but when you get up here, you get to know (your siblings) a little better.”

For Coach Hedrick, the season was made more memorable by watching the three siblings become the people they are today.

“This year, I really enjoyed seeing the big brother really take a special interest in the success of his younger brother and not in an overbearing way,” he said. “In Brian, I saw a younger brother really admiring and enjoying the success of his big sister and older brother.”

“I really enjoyed getting to know them as individuals, but [also] see the sameness in their family. It’s a very special family.”