Athlete of the Week: Dan Shevchik `03

Having already won a bronze medal at the Pan American games this summer, freshman Dan Shevchik was expected to contribute immediately to the Harvard men's swimming team.

Shevchik did not disappoint.

After playing a key role in the Crimson's undefeated season and its fifth straight Eastern championship, Shevchik single-handedly earned Harvard a 26th-place finish at the NCAA Championships during the first weekend of spring break.

With an eighth-place finish in the 200 backstroke at the NCAAs, Shevchik became the newest Crimson swimmer to bring home All-American honors.

Shevchik also finished 12th in the 400 individual medley to earn an All-American honorable mention.

After steadily improving throughout the dual meet season, Shevchik blew away his competition at the Eastern championships. He won the 400 IM and the 200 backstroke convincingly and placed second in the 200 IM.

Along with senior Tim Martin, an All-American last season, he earned a share of the Moriarity award, given to the swimmer who scores the most points at Easterns.

Such high honors are nothing new to Shevchik. In 1997 he broke Junior National records in the 400 IM and the 200 backstroke. His list of achievements would be even longer had he not suffered from Lyme disease during his senior year of high school.

Shevchik will be competing at the Olympic Trials this summer. His bronze medal swim at the Pan American Games last August earned him the 15th spot in the 1999 world long-course rankings.

He is undoubtedly capable of earning a trip to Sydney.

Because of his incredibly high expectations for himself, Shevchik is certain to improve upon this year's NCAA performance. And with Shevchik around for three more seasons, the Crimson's streak of five straight Eastern championships is showing no sign of coming to an end.