Yet again, the top swimming program in the Ivy League was the one that calls DeNunzio Pool home.
The women's team continued its dynasty, bringing home a fifth straight perfect regular season and a fourth straight Ivy championship. This season may have been the Tigers most dominating effort yet — they were not seriously challenged in a single one of their meets.
On the other hand, just a few points at Eastern Championships separated the men's squad from a perfect season of its own. Despite the heartbreaking loss, however, the season was still a rousing success. The senior-led Tigers completed a perfect 9-0 regular season, including a thrilling last-event-victory at the Harvard-Yale-Princeton meet, and finished 19th at NCAA champs.
Head coach Susan Teeter's women's team entered the season with a 32 dual-meet win streak. By the end of the season, it stood at 41, just two short of the record for all Princeton athletic teams.
Throughout the season, Tiger victories were a result of a well-balanced attack, as members of all four classes contributed points. In fact, the freshmen were arguably the strength of the team.
Ivy League Championships
At Ivy League Championships, held in Princeton, six of the top 11 point-scorers were Tigers. Three of them were freshmen — distance freestylers Libby Englemier and Eileen Altenburger and breaststroker Whitney Ryan.
Sophomore Stephanie Hsaio, a team leader throughout the season, was also amongst the top-scorers. Her meet record-setting 100-yard breaststroke performance qualified her for NCAA championships.
Captain Chrissy Holland, Molly Seto, and Michelle Nelson were among the key seniors on the team. All three were part of the record-setting 200-yard medley relay team.
Above all, though, the Ivy championship meet truly belonged to junior Sarah Frauman, who was named the meet's outstanding swimmer. She swept her three events — the 500, 1000, and 1650 free. Her effort to make the NCAA 'A' cut in the 1650 provided the season's most dramatic moment.
With Teeter and her teammates wildly waving her on, and the decibel level in the building rising, Frauman kept on pace to qualify. When she touched the wall at 16:25.04, with two and a half seconds to spare, the arena erupted.
On the men's side, the season's most dramatic moment came during the H-Y-P meet. Entering the final event, the 400 free relay, Princeton and Harvard were tied for first, with Yale languishing well behind.
Despite the unavailability of senior Jesse Gage, the Tiger's top swimmer — he had already swam the maximum number of events — the foursome of senior captain Jamie Leahy, junior Mike Salerno, sophomore Justin Chiles, and senior captain Carl Hessler beat their Crimson foes by a full second, giving Princeton the H-Y-P win.
Harvard's revenge
Harvard would have its revenge at Eastern championships, narrowly defeating the Tigers. New meet records were set in nearly every event — 11 in all, nine by Princeton. Yet, in the end, struggles in the long-distance and diving events were too much to overcome.
The Tigers rebounded at NCAA championships, using four top-15 relay showings to take 19th place overall, their best finish at NCAA champs since 1995.
As always, the senior class led the way. The illustrious class of 2003 was arguably the greatest class in Princeton history. Leading the way throughout the year was soft-spoken sprinter Jesse Gage. His blazing speed allowed him to tie as top scorer at Eastern championships both his junior and senior year.
Breaststroker Garth Fealey was the Tigers top individual finisher at NCAAs, taking 15th in the 100, as well as 29th in the 200. Hessler, a two-time school individual record holder, chipped in with 23rd in the 200 free and 24th in the 200 fly.
Other notable seniors included Leahy and backstroker Pat Donahue, each of whom was a member of school-record setting relay teams.
Graduation will take its toll next year. Salerno, Chiles and junior Steve Fleming will help minimize the pain of the rebuilding process. Meanwhile, for the women's squad, all signs point towards continued dynastic domination.
In the end, no matter what the future holds for Princeton swimming, 2003 will always be known as the year of the Tigers.
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