Princeton University Athletics
Class of 1916 Cup
September 20, 2001 | General
Awarded each year to the Princeton varsity letterwinner who, continuing in competition in his or her senior year, achieved at graduation the highest academic standing. Given by the Class of 1916 on the occasion of its 15th reunion.
Oliver Stroeh
The level of classroom achievement at Princeton necessary to win The Class of 1916 Cup is not easy to reach. It takes countless hours of study and discipline, all the while balancing a schedule that includes highly competitive collegiate athletics.
Imagine then the average winter day for Oliver Stroeh, the 2001 Class of 1916 Cup winner. A breaststroker on the swim team, Stroeh had to match his commitment to his schoolwork with a grueling daily routine of a few miles in the pool.
"Oliver has been an integral part of the Princeton swim team for the past four years," says Princeton swimming coach Rob Orr. "His leadership qualities and desire to do whatever is ' best for the team' has put him in a role of a key player on more than one occasion. His versatility and competitiveness have enabled him to be successful. Most importantly is that all his teammates and competitors respect him and his ability greatly. With Oliver's help, the men's swim team has been able to maintain a high degree of success."
Stroeh competed and lettered on Princeton's swimming team all four years while at Princeton. He had several top performances in his career, including a win in the 200 breaststroke against Navy in the final meet of the season, giving the Tigers a perfect 10-0 regular-season record and another undefeated season at DeNunzio Pool, where the Princeton men have never lost.
An ecology and evolutionary biology major, Stroeh is a native of Buke, Va.