M. Swimming Makes a Splash

1996

Sports Statistics

Record: 13-1, 8-1 EISL

Easterns Finish: First

Coach: Mike Chasson

Key Players: Juniors Michael Kiedel, Eric Matuszak and Brian Younger

1997

The monster has been created.

For the second straight season, the Harvard men's swimming team sent eight competitors to the NCAA Championships, thus officially establishing itself as a national contender.

These individual accolades came off the heels of a dominating regular season that included Harvard's second consecutive Eastern Championship title. Guiding the Crimson to its fifth title in his six years at the helm was coach Mike Chasson, who not surprisingly walked away with the Eastern Coach of the Year award.

"I am really proud of our performances this year," co-captain Dave Alpert said. "It's not easy to bring 30 guys together and have them work as one cohesive unit, but we did that and it made the season better for everyone both in and out of the pool."

Last season, in which the team had seven All-Americans, a dominating 12-1 dual-meet record and a perfect 9-0 league mark, left very little room for improvement. The Crimson had already made the jump into the upper echelon of men's swimming. This season's challenge was to move up the national ladder.

All doubts were put to rest at Harvard's opening meet against Columbia and Army in November. Harvard outright destroyed its competition by margins of 120 and 138 points respectively.

"We pretty much demolished them," Alpert said after the meet.

That set the tone for the rest of the season.

From there on in, the Crimson bettered its previous year's accomplishments by setting a school record for dual victories, as it went 13-1 overall and 8-1 in the Eastern International Swimming League. But the Crimson did not just beat its opponents: it annihilated them, by an average margin of 101 points.

Its only blemish came against Princeton on the last day of January. The Tigers, shaved and tapered, threw all they had at the Crimson for the dual meet. Harvard, waiting till the Easterns and national tournament to peak, battled well despite the odds and fell 83-80.

"They are really rough when they're shaved and they put everything into it," sophomore Denis Sirringhaus said. "They came out swinging."

The big meet, however, came two weeks later at the Eastern Championships held at Princeton. It was here where the culmination of months of competition came together and the Crimson rose to its greatest height.

The first day was highlighted by junior Michael Kiedel's record-breaking performance in the 200 freestyle. His time of 1:37:02 shattered both the Eastern and DeNunzio Pool record.

Junior Eric Matuszak's winning performance in the 100 freestyle (44.62), coupled with junior Dave Schwartz's victory in the 200 breast-stroke (2:00.41), increased the Crimson's lead even more.

Sirringhaus also got into the action, as his time of 15:15.77 in the 1650 freestyle--traditionally a Crimson specialty--spearheaded a one-two-three sweep of the event.

The third day epitomized the Crimson's dominance as the team stole victories in four of the day's seven events. Once again, Kiedel was in the midst of the record breaking.

Saving his best for last, the native of Germany teamed with senior Bryon Butts, Matuszak and sophomore Alex Kurmakov in the meet's final event--the 400 freestyle--to set a school, Eastern and DeNunzio Pool record with a winning time of 2:57.97.

Other winners included junior Josh Adams (200 Individual Medley), freshman Tim Martin (1000 freestyle) and sophomore Greg Wriede (400 Individual Medley).

Overall the Crimson won 11 of the meet's 21 events and never relinquished its lead during the three-day competition. In the end Princeton, more than 100 points behind Harvard, was the closest competitor.

"This was a challenging year for us, but I think that our team mentality and perseverance paid off at Easterns and NCAAs," said junior Brian Younger. "We are a national level team and people are finally starting to recognize that."

As a result of their performances at Easterns and throughout the six-month season, Matuszak, Kurmakov, Sirringhaus, Martin, Wriede, Kiedel, Younger and junior Matt Cornue all advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Harvard once again surprised the nation by placing 18th overall at the tournament with impressive individual and relay performances.

"That was one of the things that surprised a lot of people," Sirringhaus said about Harvard's solid finish. "They didn't expect much from us. This was something that we wanted to realize."

Kiedel was the top Harvard finisher, as he touched the wall tied for fourth place in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:36.11. Matuszak finished in 13th place.

Sirringhaus managed 15th place in the 1650 freestyle and Wreide posted an 11th-place finish in the 400 Individual Medley.

The relays were the real point-getters for the Crimson as it nabbed fifth place in the 800 freestyle relay and 10th place in the 200 freestyle event. The end result would have been much higher had the Crimson's 400 freestyle team not been disqualified in the preliminary round for diving early.

"I have never felt as much a part of the team as I did this season," Martin said. "Seeing my teammates cheering me on during races really gave me the motivation to keep on going."

After finishing the year ranked No. 18, the team seems to keep getting stronger. The Harvard ranks are only losing two top-scoring seniors and the Crimson is already guaranteed a strong recruiting class.

"We had ten people get in and all are coming," Sirringhaus said. "Normally we only have a 70-percent matriculation rate."

So if the teams around the country wouldn't take notice before, they surely will now.

The monster has definitely been created.