Merritt Among Top Group To Replace Coach Brooks

Five men, including assistant swimming coach Benn Merritt, are "top prospects" in Harvard's search for a replacement for retiring head coach Bill Brooks.

The seven-man committee has considered about 30 candidates, including several nationally known coaches. One of these may be Don Grambil, coach at Long Beach State in California.

Committee members Mike Cahalan and John Burris, both seniors on the Harvard team, talked to several prospects at last weekend's NCAA's in Ames, Iowa, and will report on their discussions at a meeting this morning. Interviews will begin after Spring vacation, and a decision is likely by about April 20.

Robert Watson, director of Athletics, said yesterday that there are four groups of candidates, starting with the five top men. Behind those five is another group of desirable candidates. A third category includes only two men, and a fourth is made up of persons who have applied but in whom the committee is "not particularly interested."

Merritt, who is 47, has been an assistant varsity coach here for 14 years and has headed the freshman program. In recent years, however, Brooks has turned over more and more responsibility to Merritt and assistant coach Harold Miroff.

A substantial number of present and former Harvard swimmers have written letters to the committee recommending Merritt, and Watson said, "We think very highly of Benn."

On the other hand, Merritt has lost support from some team members for allowing Cahalan, a two-year captain, to make most of the big decisions, including the decision not to take Al Ackermann and Henry Watson to the Easterns. These people feel It's time for a change.

The reason Gambril is among the candidates, one source said, is his frustration at Long Beach, which many swimmers apparently transfer from if their grades are good enough. Burris would not say if Gambril is a candidate, but confirmed that two or three Western coaches would probably be flown in for interviews.

The committee members, besides Burris, Cahalan, and Watson, are Robert Kaufmann; Senior Tutor in Leverett House; Burris Young, assistant dean of Freshmen; Baaron Pittenger, associate director of Athletics; and Eric Cutler, assistant director of Athletics. Cutler also went to the NCAA's to talk to prospects.