Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
EISL Championships
Butterfly Kisses Help Lead Princeton To EISL Championship
March 06, 2004 | Men's Swimming and Diving
March 6, 2004
PRINCETON - When Harvard's Rassan Grant touched the wall first to win the 200 breaststroke, the Crimson cut what was once a major deficit in the 2004 EISL championships to just 35.5 points with three events remaining. It was time for either Harvard to complete the dramatic rally, or for the No. 22 Princeton men's swimming & diving to answer back. Up stepped one Tiger freshman, who showed the tenacity of a senior. He answered back, and the Tigers soon after celebrated the title.
While this is the 15th championship overall for Princeton, it is only the third since 1992, when Harvard began a string of dominance. The Crimson won nine of 10 titles, beginning in '92, but Princeton has won two of the last three. And with the performances from some of its younger swimmers, the Tigers are hoping that they can now begin their own string of championships.
Meir Hasbani's win in the 200 butterfly led a brilliant Princeton effort in the event and pushed the Tigers to their 15th EISL championship in program history. It also kept them perfect in the league after sweeping every opponent during the regular season. Hasbani wasn't the only major scorer in the third to last event. Senior Juan Valdivieso topped Cameron Moccari by .1 of a second to claim third in the final, and Brian Shue topped Ryan Smith by slightly more to win the consolation final. It was those kinds of little victories that helped propel the Tigers to the championship.
Of course, Princeton might not have been in the position it was without the brilliant weekend by sophomore Will Reinhardt, who claimed his second individual EISL title of 2004 by winning the 100 free in 44.01, a time that topped a pair of Navy swimmers. Reinhardt won his first individual event on Thursday by capturing the 50 free, and he was part of a relay champion on each of the first two days (200 free, Thursday; 800 free, Friday).
Full results of all races can be found at http://www.swimindex.com/meets/2004/eisl/.
Remember, the only way to get your Ivy League championship gear is through www.IvySport.com.