Smaller Squad Places Fifth

Even with a reduced showing, the Harvard men’s swimming and diving team achieved solid results at the ECAC Open Swimming and Diving Championships this weekend, finishing ninth out of 18 teams.

At the annual meet in Pittsburgh, Penn., the Crimson was helped by sophomore Brendan Mitchell, who tallied several strong individual performances and did his part for the team in the relay.

Although teams are allowed 17 swimmers to compete, Harvard consisted of only nine swimmers.

The rest of the Crimson team stayed behind in Cambridge to prepare for next week’s Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League Championships, which will take place in East Meadow, N.Y.

After a slow first day on Friday, Mitchell’s excellent performance in the 200-yard freestyle jump-started the Crimson. Mitchell went on to snag third in the 500-yard freestyle and went to the finals in the mile swim. He also participated in four relays.

“Brendan Mitchell was just outstanding this weekend,” junior Pat Morrissey said. “He was definitely the workhorse for us—swimming in three finals and 4 relays. He really shouldered a lot of the load for us and helped us out a lot.”

Although the Crimson had far fewer swimmers than did many of the other teams there, it refused to make excuses.

“Since we didn’t have a full team, there was a lot more responsibility on every individual,” junior Kevin Koslosky said. “We were going against a lot of teams we don’t usually go up against, so both of those factors were a little different.”

“Still, we tried to get up for each and every swim,” he added.

And get up they did, as many other individuals notched points for Harvard.

Koslosky finished 10th in the mile swim, just two places ahead of Mitchell.

Junior Nick Sirella touched the pool in eighth place in the 200-yard breaststroke, while Morrissey notched a tenth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle.

The Crimson finished the meet on a positive note as Morrissey, Mitchell, Koslosky, and junior Alex Paddington combined to finish tenth in the 400-yard relay.

“We were sent to light some fires for the guys in Boston this weekend, and I think we did an awesome job,” Morrissey said. “We wanted to get some [personal records] and get everyone in Boston excited for next weekend, and I think we did a great job.”

Harvard now looks forward to the EISL Championships, which will take place on March 2-4.

The Crimson will look to match last year’s performance, when it swept the relays en route to the EISL title.

­—Staff writer Julie R.S. Fogarty can be reached at fogarty2@fas.harvard.edu.