Who Are Shaine  Casas’ Parents & Siblings? Meet the Family Behind USA’s Olympic Swimmer

Shaine Casas is an American professional swimming star who specializes in backstroke and butterfly and is an expert in the individual events. He is an American record holder in the short course 4×50 meter medley relay and has won multiple medals at both short course and long course World Championships. He is also a three-time NCAA champion and has nine individual school records for Texas A&M. 

Born on December 25, 1999, the 25-year-old has accomplished amazing awards and achievements for himself till now. He has one more than eleven medals in World Championships already, and the Olympic hopeful is striving for the top position in the swimming world.

Who Is Shaine Casas?

Shaine Casas was born December 25, 1999, in San Diego, California, and raised in McAllen, Texas. He specializes in backstroke, butterfly, freestyle, and IM. He is a world medalist, NCAA Champion, and member of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team.

He holds the American record for the short course 4X50 meter medley relay. At the 2021 World Short Course Championships, he won a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke and a silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke, while finishing seventh in the 50-meter backstroke. In 2022, at the World Aquatics Championships (long course), he earned a bronze medal in the 200-meter backstroke.

 

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Later in the year, at the 2022 World Short Course Championships, he won the silver medal in the 200-metre backstroke and placed fourth in the finals of the 100-meter individual medley and 200-meter individual medley.

Who Is Shaine Casas’ Mother, Monica Epling?

Shaine’s mother, Monica Epling, served in the U.S. Navy and is the nurturing force behind Shaine’s early exposure to water. During her pregnancy and Shaine’s infancy, Monica noticed that Shaine was always calm in water. This prompted early swim lessons and the installation of a backyard pool. Monica also organized community support for her trip to watch Shaine compete in the Paris Olympics. With a family legacy of service—his father having been a Border Patrol agent and her own service in the U.S. Navy—it is evident that Shaine developed a strong connection with water from a very young age.

She was in the Navy, so naturally, she knows her way around water and is a good swimmer because she has seen how beautiful and dangerous water can be.Ever since he was in the womb, he loved the water, she said as per Valley Central. “People think it’s a bunch of bologna when I tell this story, but people who knew me back then know how sick I was when I was pregnant and that I spent all my time, when I wasn’t working, in the pool.”

She also sent in the same interview, saying that she is proud that her son is representing her country in some other way, even if it is not through the military.

Who Was Shaine Casas’ Father, James Epling?

James Epling worked as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent—known locally for his bravery. So both James and Shaine’s mother have served the country with their incredible service and bravery. 

Sadly, he passed away in a drowning accident while pursuing a smuggler when Shaine was just a toddler, which had a profound impact on the family. Shaine was raised by two incredibly brave individuals, one of whom sacrificed his life for his country. Epling died on December 16, 2003, near the town of Andrade, on the California side of the river, just west of Yuma, Arizona.

“As I understand it, he heard people screaming and maybe people struggling in the water,” said Abel Holguín, a retired U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigator. “He entered the water, and somehow ended up rescuing a lady, perhaps more than one, and then continued efforts to apprehend the suspect.”

He gave his own life to save the others and had to leave his three-year-old son, especially just before his birthday, which falls on Christmas. However, his spirit was always there with him, and Shaine inherited his bravery and tenacity. Shaine’s success as a swimmer has given a lot of pride and hope to fellow Border Patrol agents, especially Holguín and Emblem. 

“I’m sure he’d be proud of him,” Holguín said. There is now a memorial near the area where Epling parked his truck before going in the water and disappearing.

What Is Shaine Casas’s Ethnicity & Family Background?

Shaine is Mexican-American as he hails from a military and public service family in the Rio Grande Valley, fostering a sense of community pride. He has a rich heritage, thanks to his parents and a legacy in the family related to public service and the military.

Recognized as a leading athlete of color in a predominantly white sport, Casas, who is half-Black and half-Cuban, said this about being a role model: “I want to make sure that younger athletes can find that same thing when they see me. I want to be a role model for everyone, Casas said as per USA Swimming.org.

Does Shaine Casas Have Siblings?

Shaine has three brothers: Sean, Seth, and James Epling Jr.While not public figures, they are part of his supportive family environment in McAllen.

His brothers, Seth and James, serve in the Marine Corps, and Sean is a graduate of Arizona State.  Sofia Vazquez, a few months older than her cousin, reminisced about Sundays watching all the family come together and watching him swim, as per the Valley Central. 

“We grew up watching him swim. He’d be back and forth, up and down that pool having the time of his life, and it’s just been amazing to see him accomplish what has been his dream, probably since he was three, four years old,” Vazquez said. What do you think about Shaine’s success till now? Will he be able to qualify for the Olympics in 2028?

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