Record-setting victory

Yale's male swimmers are more than just tight Speedos and lean muscles. Last weekend, they were unshaven record-setters maintaining a perfect season. Winning against Fordham at home (134-102) and Lehigh away (166-126), the team raised its record to 7-0.

Captain George Gleason, TC '01, set Lehigh pool records in the 100-meter backstroke and 400-meter individual medley and had an unshaven personal best in the 200-meter backstroke at Fordham. Mike Schulte, TC '02, also achieved an unshaven personal best while breaking the pool record in the one mile at Lehigh.

These victories came despite the team's decision to conserve some of its ammunition. Weaker swimmers competed in order to allow the top ones to rest up for big events to come. "We were good enough to take them swimming our off events," Alex Nash, BK '04, explained. Besides boosting confidence, last weekend indicated enhanced depth in the team's stroke repertoire. "The biggest difference was that the sprinters started doing a lot better," Gleason said.

This boost of power will be necessary when Ivy challengers rear their ugly heads— Penn and Dartmouth this weekend, and the ugliest heads of all, Princeton and Harvard, on Sat., Feb. 3 and Sun., Feb. 4. The HYP meet is the most competitive and anticipated of those on the regular season schedule, and this year, Princeton will have the home-pool advantage.

—Missy Blakely

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