Athlete of the Week: Dan Shevchik `03

Sophomore Dan Shevchik swam three individual events last weekend at Eastern Championships.

He won them all.

Shevchik amassed 96 points, finishing first in the 200-yard individual medley, 200-yard backstroke, and the 400 IM against Army, Navy, and Ivy League opponents. His superlative effort contributed to Crimson's sixth-straight championship.

"The most outstanding swim [of the meet] was Dan Shevchik's 400 IM," said freshman John Cole. "That swim is really fast and will put him up against the best swimmers in the country at NCAAs, including Olympic silver medalist Erik Vendt."

Shevchik's time in the 400 IM automatically qualified him for NCAAs and replaced the school record of 3:48.34 set by Tom Peterson '92 in his senior year. Shevchik and Cole also received the Moriarity Award for the most points scored during the entire competition.

Shevchik even beat his times from the same meet last year. At the 2000 EISL championship, Shevchik won the 400 IM and 200 backstroke and placed second in the 200 IM. In addition to winning all three of those events this year, each of Shevchik's swims at finals was faster than in 2000, including a three and a half second improvement in his 400 IM time.

Shevchik has been a great asset to the Crimson in his sophomore season. He and senior Mike Im paired up to dominate the Eastern conference in the backstroke events this year.

The 5'9 sophomore won both the 100 and 200 backstrokes at Brown Jan. 27 and placed second in the 200 backstroke at the HYP meet Feb. 4.

Now that the team has successfully defended its Eastern title, attention has shifted toward the NCAA competition, to be held at Texas A&M in two weeks.

"We definitely have guys who can score big points individually, but it will be very difficult for us to place [in the top 10] if our relays do not get invited," Shevchik said of the team's prospects.

"I think that we can count on improving our 26th-place finish from a year ago," he said.

The competition at A&M will be tough, but it will be nothing new for Shevchik. He took home a bronze medal in the 200-meter backstroke at the 1999 Pan American Games and placed eighth in the 200 backstroke at NCAAs last year.

Shevchik, originally of Wilton, Conn., also placed 12th in the 400 IM at NCAAs last March and finaled in the 200 backstroke at Olympic Trials last summer.

Shevchik (along with Tim Martin '00 and sophomore Erik Patton) is also a 2000 William J. Brooks trophy recipient. The award traditionally goes to one swimmer and diver who have contributed most to the team's success.