Seniors to lead men's swimming one last time

No Kleenex will be needed.

This Friday, the men's swimming class of 2003 will face Columbia and compete at DeNunzio pool one last time. Senior day is traditionally an emotional one. But pardon the Tigers if they're not ready to shed any tears just yet. They simply have too much left to accomplish this season to start getting sentimental.

With a victory against Columbia, Princeton will finish the regular season with an unblemished 9-0 dual meet record, in addition to its Princeton Invitational championship. Beyond that goal, Eastern Championships loom large.

"We have to treat it like just another dual meet," head coach Rob Orr said. "But we do want to cherish and enjoy the seniors one last time."

Indeed, the Tiger seniors are more than deserving of an afternoon of accolades. After all, they just may be the greatest class Princeton swimming has ever seen.

Like team accomplishments? Try the 666 points the class of 2003 scored at last year's Easterns, almost half of Princeton's total, which propelled the Tigers to victory.

How about individual performances? Consider that five seniors combine to hold eight school records.

Although no one expected such results four years ago, it was quickly apparent the group would be special.

"After the first night we got together," senior captain Jamie Leahy said, "it was obvious that there was an unspoken bond."

From that initial seed of friendship, an incredible spirit of camaraderie would bloom. College athletes are traditionally tight with their teammates, due to the combination of agony and joy they experience together. The seniors are adamant, however, that they're even closer than normal.

"I like to believe that we all share a brain," Leahy said. "It's like dominoes; once the first goes, the rest are sure to follow."

While swimming competitions are mainly individual in nature, team chemistry is critical when it comes to training. Swimmers feed off of their teammates in the practice water. The more talented swimmers present to push each other, the more everyone benefits.

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"If you've got thoroughbreds training with thoroughbreds, they all rise in the process," Orr said. "That's been a driving force for us."

This year, the class has also faced the challenge of leadership. Just pushing each other would no longer be enough — now, they would have to inspire their younger teammates as well. The group leads like they do everything else — together. Each senior contributes a different skill.

Captain Carl Hessler has always led by example. The Princeton record holder in the 500m freestyle and 200m butterfly, Hessler succeeds because he spends more time in the pool than anyone else.

"His dedication to training and toughness as a competitor are unsurpassed," Orr said.

On the other hand, fellow captain Jamie Leahy has flourished in a role as the Tigers' spirited vocal leader. Leahy can often be heard firing up the team by "talking smack to the other guys," Orr said. He's also proven he can back up his words, swimming on several record holding relay teams.

The third captain, Karl Telleen, hasn't swum any record times. Yet, in many ways, he's been even more inspirational than faster teammates. Riddled by injuries throughout his Princeton career, Telleen has nonetheless made the most of his time, practicing through pain and becoming the "organizational leader," Orr said. Despite the frequent frustration he has faced, he takes great pleasure in the team's success.

"I'm honored to call these characters my teammates," Tellen said. "Our success in the water is a testament to a friendship that will last beyond our swimming careers."

Perhaps the most talented of the seniors is sprinter Jesse Gage. He may be "mild-mannered and low-key," according to his teammates, but he gets results — he owns Princeton records in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

"You tell him to swim fast, and that's what he does," Orr said.

The list doesn't stop with Gage. Garth Fealey holds the Tiger record in the 100m breast, and backstroker Pat Donahue has swum on top relay teams. In the end, over four years, the class of 2003 has simply become an exceptional group.

It will only be fitting for the seniors to exit DeNunzio Pool with one last victory, as they have done so many times before. And while ceremonies are fine and dandy, the only tears the Tigers desire are those of championship-winning joy.