Crimson Makes Waves at the NCAA

Harvard finishes 11th at NCAA Championships; boasts six individual All-Americans and three All-American Relays

Senior Mike Kiedel, a four-event All-American in 1997, led the Crimson swimmers to an 11th place finish at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships held last month at Auburn University. Once again, Kiedel's exceptional performances earned him All-America status in two individual events and as a member of two relay teams.

Kiedel, a native of Tamm, Germany, finished third in the 200 free with a time of 1:34.94, breaking his own team record of 1:36.03 which he set at last year's NCAAs. Kiedel was also a top-eight finisher in the 500 free, earning fifth place with a time of 4:20.25. In the morning trial of that event, Kiedel swam to a new school record of 4:19.30, breaking the previous record of 4:19.41 set in 1979 by Harvard standout Bobby Hackett.

In addition to his individual successes, Kiedel swam the anchor leg of both the 400 and 800 freestyle relay teams. He and fellow seniors Matt Cornue, Alex Kurmakov, and Eric Matuszak finished fifth in the 400 (2:55.75) and third in the 800 (6:25.92) relays. Both of those times were new Harvard records, with the 800 free relay team shattering its own school record of 6:28.70, which it set at last year's national championships.

The Crimson boasts two other top-eight finishers in juniors Greg Wriede and Tim Martin. Wriede earned All-American honors for his seventh place finish in the 400 IM (3:50.63); Martin earned the distinction in the 1650 free, in which he was fifth with a time of 15:00.75. Martin also finished 12th in the 500 free (4:22.71) to become an Honorable Mention All-American.

Seniors Matuszak (10th in the 200 free --

1:36.80), Dave Schwartz (15th in the 200 breast -- 2:01.01) and sophomore Denis Siringhaus (13th in the 1650 free -- 15:17.11), and the 200 free relay team of Cornue, Matuszak, Siringhaus and Schwartz (16th place -- 1:26.04) round out Harvard's Honorable Mention All-America selections.