Coach Hal Ulen unofficially opens the varsity swimming season at 7:30 p.m. tonight with the annual classic, the alumni meet. The informal gathering will begin when enough alumni arrive; and the places they cannot fill will go to varsity men.

The undergraduates have lost the traditional curtain-raiser only once, in 1938, and there is not much chance of it happening again this year. The return to the fold of Bill Graham, junior breaststroker, has greatly bolstered the team's strength, particularly in the medley relay.

Swimming with Graham tonight in a half-sized (150-yard) version of this event will be John Steinhardt and Bob Stroud. Steiuhardt and Tom Woods will enter the 100-yard backstroke race, and Reno Vielman and Dick Wheeler the breast stroke.

Brown in Sprint

The freestyle events will be manned as follows: Captain Joe Fox and Shep Brown in the 50, Mort Hull and Dave Stone in the 100, and Bob Berke and Doug Kinney in the 220. The 200-yard relay lineup has not yet been determined.

Gordie Weir and Don Haines will do the diving.

The whole setup, Ulen admits, depends upon the strength and number of alumni who show up. The small practice pool will be filled with champagne if the alumni win.