Index 
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Cornell 
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Easterns 
Harvard/Army 
UPenn 
Princeton 
Yale 

 Gered 
 

All articles and images by
The Columbia Spectator 

Men setting their sights high 

Susie Lee : Spectator Staff Editor 

It is all about quality, not quantity. This maxim sums up Columbia's men's swimming Class of 2001. It also characterizes a team which has displayed immense talent and stellar individual performances in the pool, but has often lacked the depth necessary to win as a team in one of the toughest leagues in the country. 

"One of the [long-term] goals of this program is to win another Ivy Title," said Columbia Head Coach Jim Bolster. But this year the team looks to achieve realistic goals, and build a solid foundation to begin the climb back to the top of the league. After a disappointing 4-7 finish last year and last place in the Eastern Championships, Bolster said, "We have no where to go but up." 

This year's team will not settle for mediocrity either. "The guys want to go 8-3 this year. It'll be a challenge, but we have a shot at it," Bolster said. 

"We must turn the bitterness that existed at the end of last year into determination. This will allow us to concentrate on pride, unity and ultimately winning," senior tri-Captain Louis De Leon said. "With a strong foundation in these areas, our team will be successful. The true character of our team will be revealed this year-the way we respond to a season such as last year's will show the composition of the team. In a sense, this year is a test for us." more... 

Diving helps Lions shoot down Cadets 

Susie Lee : Spectator Staff Writer 

Opening weekend was full of surprises for the men's varsity swim team. The most pleasant of which came with a fight-to-the-finish victory over the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League (EISL) rival Army during a double dual meet at Harvard on Saturday. 

Strong performances by a core of All-American first-years, coupled with veteran experience, sparked the Lions to a 122.5-117.5 victory over the Cadets. 

"It took the seniors four years and four different pools to beat Army," Captain Louis De Leon said. 

This weekend also showed that Columbia's diving program is now a force to be reckoned with in the League. Diving events, as opposed to previous years, now help boost the Lions over opponents in dual meet competition. more... 

Diving buoys Lions to another strong showing 

Susie Lee : Spectator Staff Writer 

The blink of an eye. The length of your pinky finger. That's how close the men's swimming and diving teams came to upsetting Yale at the Lions' home opener last Friday. In his fourteenth season as Head Coach, Jim Bolster characterized Friday's performance as "one of the best dual meets I've seen at Columbia." 

The home pool advantage and the support from the crowd heightened the atmosphere of the meet. The cheering from friends and family in the stands during the post-Thanksgiving dual "really psyched the team up and created more motivation. It brought up the intensity level and adrenaline flow," Bolster said. 

Despite the 157-143 loss, junior Chris Ferris said, "The team is very upbeat. Our spirit has never been better in my three years here." more... 

December 08, 1997 

Tough time at Cornell for men's swimming

Things have been known to freeze up in Ithaca. Last Saturday, however, Cornell's Big Red was red hot as they defeated Columbia's 
men's swimming team 160-135, dropping its record to 1-4 on the season. 

Coming off a tremendous meet at home against Yale last weekend, Columbia was fired up to face Cornell. Prior to the trip up to 
Cornell, Head Coach Jim Bolster expressed anxiety about encountering trouble on the road. The Big Red had a strong home advantage 
as well as an unflinching level of intensity in and out of the pool that Bolster feared could hurt the Lions. more... 

January 26, 1998 

LIONS DOMINATE BIG GREEN 

Susie Lee : Spectator Staff Writer 
Spectator Staff Writer 

"It was one of the most dominant meets against an Ivy League opponent that I have participated in throughout my four years here at Columbia," senior Tri-Captain Matt Gilman said of the men's swimming and diving team's 184-113 routing of Dartmouth at home in the Uris Pool Saturday afternoon. 

"It was nice to actually 'smoke the Big Green' without the R.A. banging on the door," he added. 

Columbia men's swimming entered the Dartmouth meet with a confidence that radiated from the first event, the 400-yard medley relay. Columbia clinched a one-two finish and started the meet off with a 15-2 lead. The Lions finished the long afternoon with an exclamation mark, as Columbia went one-two in the closing 200-yard freestyle relay, fractions away from the pool record. The big win over Dartmouth boosted the Lions' record to 3-4 overall, and 2-3 in the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League (EISL). It also marks Columbia's first Ivy win this season. more... 

M. swimmers look for boost from Princeton 

Susie Lee : Spectator Staff Writer 

The Lions know what they want this season, and they're doing exactly what they need to get there. Princeton was unbeatable last Saturday, but Columbia was able to use the last home meet of the season as a stepping stone to prepare for its tough, but winnable meets in the upcoming three weeks. 

"Princeton was a warm-up for the rumble with Penn [this Saturday]. The Quakers are a team we can and should beat. If we can finish the season with three straight wins, we will be in good shape for Easterns," junior distance freestyler Chris Ferris said. 

On paper, Columbia lost 144-99 to Princeton, dropping its record to 2-5 overall, but as Head Coach Jim Bolster remarked, "Swimming is a sport where if you lose as a team, but everyone swims well, the score really doesn't mean much." more... 

Tapered Penn races past men's swimming 

Susie Lee : Spectator Staff Writer 

On paper, the Columbia men's swimming team and Penn are so close it's impossible to dub one stronger, faster, or better. The Lions' meet against Penn on the road last Saturday should have, consequently, been a competitive affair. 

But the Quakers decided to shave and taper a good portion of their team,-a factor that gave a sizeable advantage to Penn and helped contribute to the Lions' disappointing 131-108 loss. Penn's victory dropped the Light Blue record to 3-6 on the season. 

"We swam well, but Penn being shaved and tapered [had] an edge," sophomore sprinter Gered Doherty said. "I think we are all just itching for a fair meet, which we'll get at Easterns. Then, the outcome will be a bit different." more... 

Records tumble as Lions place sixth at Easterns 

Susie Lee 
Spectator Associate Sports Editor  

Eyebrows raised in amazement, and jaws dropped to the deck in shock. And it wasn't just on account of the frighteningly bald heads and the Speedo-clad bodies devoid of hair. 

Columbia men's swimming and diving made an impressive statement this weekend with a flurry of unprecedented individual performances, including lifetime bests and record-shattering times. 

Although the team only placed sixth with 295.5 points at the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League (EISL) Championships, the slew of individual All-Ivy honors and varsity records made the team one of the pleasant surprises at the event.  more... 

Gered Doherty Sets Lanes Ablaze for M. Swimming 

Susie Lee 
Spectator Associate Sports Editor  

Gered Doherty is fast. 

It took the sophomore only 20.41 seconds to put a field of 54 of the strongest swimmers in the East in his wake as he qualified for the Eastern Championship finals in the 50-yard freestyle last Thursday at Army. 

Doherty went on to clinch a tie for second place in the final with a blazing time of 20.68. He tied Harvard junior Alex Kurmakov, and the two shared the title of the fastest sprinters in the Ivy League and earned All-Ivy honors. (Army junior Joe Novak clinched the win in 20.21) 

Though the race took just over 20 seconds, the hard work and the drive for last weekend's accomplishment began over 11 months ago.  more...