Aquamen Torpedo Easterns

In a year when Harvard won the Eastern League Championships and sent one team member to the Olympic trials, the sweetest team moment is probably the last relay in a meet in December.

For the past two years, Princeton had beaten Harvard, handing them their only Eastern loss in the 1994-95 season. This year, when the 400-yard freestyle relay team pulled themselves out of the water after scratching out the Tigers by half a second, the team went wild. The final meet score: Harvard 146, Princeton 97.

"The team swam with more emotion that I have seen in three years," co-captain Jeff Marks said about the meet against Princeton. "Everyone was fired up, everyone was focused. Every single person who swam swam well."

"As a team effort, it was the best meet I've been a part of," he continued. "Nothing compares to the kind of feelings you had on deck [that day]."

Marks, who was the team's most improved junior last season, had seen some great meets before that day. But this year was unquestionably different. He set his personal best in the 1,000-yard free and watched the young team he helped shape win Easterns.

From that meet on, Harvard unquestionably dominated the Eastern league, remaining undefeated and finally winning the championship by more than 100 points.

At the NCAAs, the team placed 16th, after qualifying in six events, two of them relays. Sophomore Brian Younger raced in the 500-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle, coming in sixth and eighth, respectively. Sophomore Eric Matuszak came in fifth in the 200-yard freestyle, while three freestyle relay squads (200, 400 and 800 yards) came in 13th, 12th and 11th, respectively.

With this kind of talent, it's impossible to list every great race the Crimson had, or even every great swimmer. At some of the Eastern meets, those swimming their off-events would capture some of the top spots.

The two centers of strength for the team were never in question, however. The team had a sensational set of freestylers that powered to the lead consistently. In addition, the team turned what is often considered a weakness--a large number of inexperienced freshmen--into a tremendous asset.

Led by sophomore distance freestyle Brian Younger, who placed fourth at the Olympic Trials in the 1,500 meters, the pattern of winning was rarely broken. Since freestyle events begin and conclude every meet, that strength meant the Crimson made waves coming off the block and finished with a flourish.

Freshman Alex Kurmakov and sophomore Eric Matuszak packed a solid punch on the sprints and were one half of the 200-yard free relay team that took first at Easterns. The rest of the freestylers came up to the standard set by the leaders; it was not uncommon to see Harvard aquamen challenging each other for the lead.

A good number of those challenging for the win were the freshmen. The youngest members of the team surprised many with their depth and breadth of skill.

The versatility and talent of the class is perhaps illustrated by Greg Wriede. Though he is on the team roster as swimming the backstroke and the individual medley, he has the best team time for the 200-yard butterfly, and has been known to compete in the breast stroke as well.

"The kids just know how to win. They don't care who's next to them," Younger said of the freshmen after the Princeton meet. "It doesn't matter who's supposed to win races. Our freshmen get in the race and win."

The reserves of talent in the youngest members of the team make the outlook for next year even brighter.

The Crimson is losing only two team members and the added experience for this year's sophomores and freshmen can only deepen their ability to win. For the Harvard's men swimming team, it's clear waters ahead.

Harvard Sports Stats 1995-96

Men's Swimming

Record: 12-1, 9-0 EISL

EISL Finish: First

Head Coach: Mike Chasson

Captains: Jeff Marks '96, Karl Scheer '97

Other Key Players: Brian Younger '98, Eric Matuszak '98, Alex Kurmakov '99, Greg Wriede '99, Scott Peterson '96.