A 1980 Harvard graduate yesterday was named head coach of the Harvard women's swimming team Maura P. Costin, who was the head women's coach at Princeton this past winter, succeeds Vicki Hays, who stepped down following the recently completed season.

A native of Nahant, Mass. Costin served as head coach of the women's varsity swimming team at Princeton for one year, after a three-year term as associate head women's coach and assistant men's coach at the University of Alabama. At Princeton, Costin guided the Tigers to a 7-2 overall record, a 5-1 mark in the Ivy League and a third-place finish in the 1984 Eastern championships.

At English High School in Nahant, Costin was a high school All-American and three time state champion in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley. She was also New England and Region I champ in those two events, plus the 100-yard individual medley, and was the AAU record holder in all three.

At Harvard, her swimming career was equally successful. She was named the Outstanding Ivy League Swimmer in the 1976-1977 season, and earned All-American accolades as well Costin claimed the individual Ivy League title in the 200 butterfly with a then-record time of 2 16.65 that season