March 5, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy men's swimming and diving team will attempt to continue one of the most successful seasons in recent years for the program this weekend when the Midshipmen take part in the annual Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League Championship in Boston. The three-day meet begins Thursday and runs through Saturday at Harvard's Blodgett Pool. Trial heats begin daily at 11 a.m. with the evening session of finals starting at 6 p.m. nightly.

"This year looks to be a very competitive EISL Championship," said Navy men's swimming head coach Bill Roberts. "All nine teams are focused on bettering their team positions from the regular season standings."

Navy was one of the founding members of the EISL -- which currently consists of the Mids and the eight Ivy League schools -- back in the summer of 1936 and has competed at every league championship meet since its inception in 1962.

The Mids posted a 6-2 record against EISL foes this year to place third in the league standings. It is Navy's first winning record in the league in eight years and the program's highest placing since a third-place showing during the 1997-98 campaign. The only blemishes on the season for the Mids were losses to Harvard, winners of the regular season with an 8-0 record, and second-place Princeton (7-1).

In addition to its successful EISL season, the Mids also compiled a 15-1 record during the 2007-08 regular season -- the most wins in a season and the third-highest winning percentage recorded in school history (88.2%) -- and captured the program's fifth Patriot League title in as many years of competing at the championship.

Navy has placed sixth at the EISL championship in back-to-back years and has not finished higher than sixth since a fifth-place finish in 2001.

Though swimmers are limited to competing in three individual and four relay events at the championship, Navy's Adam Meyer (So., Bethesda, Md.) ranks among the top-three swimmers in four different events. He posted the league's fastest time of the year in the 200 butterfly, the second-fastest time in the 200 individual medley and the 200 breaststroke, and the third-best time in the 400 individual medley.

Billy Vey (Jr., Huntersville, N.C.) is another Mid who will not be able to swim in all four of his highly-regarded events. Vey's regular season times rank sixth in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke, seventh in the 400 IM and ninth in the 200 backstroke. Alex Oldenkamp (Jr., Coppell, Texas) swept the sprint freestyle crowns at the Patriot League Championship and should be in contention for titles in both events at the EISL Championship. He is seeded third in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 free.

Kevin Kysiak (Sr., Western Springs, Ill.) placed third at least year's EISL Meet in the 100 breaststroke, the highest placing in an event by a returning Mid, and is the third-seeded swimmer in the event heading into this year's meet. Additionally, Jon Galinski (Jr., Phoenix, Md.), who won both boards at the recent Patriot League Championship, will look to improve upon his sixth-place finish on the one meter at last year's EISL Championship.