Last spring when head coach of four years Stephanie Walsh resigned her position with the Harvard women's swim team for personal reasons, some swimmers decided to end their careers, some decided to try their chances in the fall with a new coach whose identity remained a mystery until late May, and several top Harvard recruits opted to attend other universities where the coaching situation was more stable.

As the team prepares to travel to Boston University for a tough season opener tonight, it appears that new head coach Vicki Hays has turned the minuses into pluses and created a team that features more depth and unity than has been seen at poolside in a long time.

"The key words in our program this year are attitude and environment," Hays says. "More than a good win-loss record, we want an attitude to permeate the team that everyone should constantly be striving to improve, and that everyone is responsible for their own swims."

Curve

Although the team is hampered this year by the absence of 11 veterans, including stellar freestyler Janie Smith and butterflyer Norma Barton, the holes should be more than amply plugged by the returning swimmers and the new crop of freshman talent.

The Crimson should dominate the freestyle and butterfly events with freshmen Kathy Fallon and Jeanne Floyd and distance specialist sophomore Maureen Gildea spearheading the charge in the freestyle events, and sophomores Kathleen McCloskey and Terri Frick leading in the butterfly distances.

The Individual Medleys will showcase versatile Harvard talent with Kathy Davis and Debbie Zimic providing the Crimson with a potent 1-2 punch.

Although the team lacked consistent strength in the breaststroke events last year, freshman Susan Kim should do well in the shorter events with Gwen Knapp leading the way in the 200.

Backstroke remains the gaping hole in the Crimson lineup this year, with the team lacking the speed necessary to do well in the Ivy League.

The 1 meter and 3 meter diving events will continue to be strong points for Harvard, with consistently excellent divers junior Pam Stone and sophomore Adriana Holy being joined by freshman Cathy Josman.