When your male counterparts have won eight Eastern championships in a row, it might be hard to get excited about a single Ivy League title.

Unless you're the Harvard women's swimming team.

And the Ivy crown is the first ever in the history of the program.

That was the story of the 1985-'86 Crimson aquawomen. And what does this year's edition hope to do as an encore? Snagging an Eastern title of its own would be a nice start.

"The men's team is working on its ninth straight, and I think its about time that we got one, too," said Head Coach Maura Costin Scalise, now in her third season at the helm. "I would love for us to be Eastern Champions. Yes, it's a dream, but it definitely is a possible dream."

Harvard finished third at Easterns one year ago--behind champion Brown and runner-up Penn State--and the team needs a strong year from everyone in order to vault past the Nittany Lions and the Bruins.

The Crimson had a good recruiting year, picking up several key swimmers. But Costin Scalise admits that, "We didn't do as well as we hoped. We lost two swimmers to Stanford and one to Brown."

Nevertheless, several freshmen will find themselves playing key roles throughout the dual-meet season and at the Eastern Championships--to be held at Brown on February 27 and 28, and March 1.

Fearless Frosh

Here's how the top Harvard freshmen stack up:

. Nina Anderson: a sprint freestyler from Ann Arbor, Mich., who should challenge sophomore Linda Suhs, the current Harvard record-holder, for the top spot in the 50 and 100-yd. freestyle races.

. Mia Costello: this breaststroker from Anchorage, Alaska is needed to fill the hole left by the graduation of Allison Greis.

. Sheila Findley: an outstanding young backstroker who may well leave her name on the Harvard record boards before she leaves here. The Champaign, Ill., native has already broken the minute barrier in the 100 backstroke this season.

. Jenny Meyer: perhaps the best of the Class of '90, this New Jersey native's strength lies in the individual medley. Meyer can also swim the distance events, but is untested.

. Mary Quinn: a butterflier from Annandale, Va., who has personal bests lower than the winning times at last year's Easterns.