After Princeton rout, men swimming upstream

With a strong showing at the H-Y-Ps, men's swimming is poised to reclaim its place among the elite.

By Alison Morris

JULIA TIERNAN/YH Brendan McBreen, DC '01, helps lead Yale to victory against Princeton in last week's prestigious H-Y-P tournament.

As they strapped on their goggles, pulled on their swimming caps, and gathered barefoot around Payne Whitney's steamy Kiphuth Memorial Pool, the Yale swimmers had a score to settle. One of the winningest teams in college swimming history, Yale's squad was looking to re-establish itself as one of the sport's powerhouses. With the Harvard and Princeton buses rolling onto campus on Fri., Feb. 5 for the highly competitive H-Y-P tournament, it seemed like the perfect time had arrived for Yale to show its stuff.

Over the past three years, Yale swimming (9-1, 4-1 Ivy) has struggled to compete with Princeton and Harvard, who have both been nationally ranked. But this year the Eli swimmers proved they're on their way back to the top. Yale took second in the H-Y-Ps, losing to Harvard by the equivalent of one relay. "It was a big difference from last year. We finally feel like we're one of the best teams in the Ivy League," Peter Baldwin, BR '00, said. "Last year Princeton was ranked No. 25 in the nation and Harvard was 11th going into the NCAAs, so a win over Princeton and being so close to Harvard was a big step for us."

The meet included outstanding races by several swimmers, notably Stephen Fahy, MC '00, who set a new pool record for the 200-meter intermedley with a time of 1:49.33, and George Gleason, TC '01, who broke the pool record in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 1:47:68. The two record breakers have traveled from far away to star at Yale--Fahy hails from Bermuda, while Gleason calls the Virgin Islands home. "Two record-breaking performances of our Carribean Connection helped the rest of our team step up our performance," Michael Caperonis, CC '00, said.

Although the team is thrilled to have placed so well, now that the swimmers have tasted victory, they want more. Losing to Harvard by such a small margin is a clear indication that a little fine tuning may be all the Bulldogs need to bring home the title. "When there are races that are decided by hundredths of a second, the difference between first and second is simply kicking a little harder, pushing off the wall a little tighter, or not taking a breath," Pat Sugrue, BR '00, said. "When things are that close, it's tough to take because those small differences are the difference be-
tween an Ivy title and coming away empty-handed."

One thing that has definitely helped the team's fortunes has been the implementation of a dry season, a policy of avoiding alcohol while in season. "I think going dry really helped us when we rested for the meet," Brendan Mulvey, BK '99, said. Whether the team chooses to follow this policy again next year could determine the extent of the team's success.

Better recruiting will also boost the Elis' chances for success. In the past, Yale has lost valuable prospects to Harvard and Princeton. When Yale teams have losing seasons, critics often point to cautious recruiting by the athletic department. The football team has improved in this area, having landed tailback Rashad Bartholomew, SY '01, and safety Than Merrill, JE '01, before last season. The swimming team has similar hopes for this year's class. "With a good recruiting class this year, we have a legitimate shot at winning [the H-Y-Ps] next year," Baldwin said.

Although the talk around the pool has revolved around last weekend's performance, the Bulldogs have another task at hand: winning the last home meet of the 1998-99 season. Coming off a successful weekend of competition and a week of rest, Yale is charged up and ready to take on Brown on Fri., Feb 12. Yale is the favorite in the event, having amassed three fewer losses than the Bears (9-4, 3-2 Ivy). And if their performance in the H-Y-Ps is any indication, the fighting Elis are truly becoming one of the premier competitiors in the Ivy League. "Coming this close to Harvard guarantees that every team in the East knows we're a force to reckon with," Caperonis said. And as for next year? "I hope Harvard enjoyed this weekend," he added. "'Cause they won't be on top again."

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