Blodgett Pool will be very busy for the next three days: Competitors from nine other schools have come to Cambridge for the 56th annual Eastern Championships and Harvard could not have picked a better year to host the event.

The Crimson (12-1 overall, 9-0 EISL) are favored to win the event; only Princeton could offer serious competition. And in addition to winning the meet, the Crimson hopes to qualify as many as eight swimmers to compete in the NCAA championships at the end of March.

Easterns brings together the eight schools in the Ivy League, plus Army and Navy. The Crimson has already competed against and defeated all of these teams this season. There is one thing thar could be as sweet as the championship itself, through--a victory against last year's champion, Princeton.

"Our main focus is to have individuals and relays swimming fast, but we definitely want to beat Princeton," co-captain Jeff Marks said.

Even though the Crimson crushed the Tigers in a dual meet December 9, 146-97, Harvard is not dismissing its competition.

"Princeton has a tendency to get fired up for championship meets," Marks said. "They have nothing to lose so they would do anything to win."

Marks cautioned that Easterns is scored very differently from the dual meet Harvard won against Princeton.

"The score was so lopsided because we won a lot of events," Marks said. "In a dual meet what is significant is winning, but there is not so much emphasis on winning in Easterns--so the scoring is more suited to them."

In order to secure a victory, Harvard needs to come out strong early. Qualifying heats are run in the morning and the top eight swimmers make it to the final heat in the evening. The athletes who finish ninth through 16th can only compete in the consolation race.

"We feel like it is up to the morning sessions," Marks said. "We have to push them [Princeton] into the consolation round because they can't survive that. If you look at the 50 meter free style, for example, nine of the top ten spots are Harvard or Princeton swimmers. Two guys aren't going to make the finals, and we need to make sure it's them."

Harvard is deepest in the freestyle events, led by sophomore All-Americans Brian Younger in the long distances and Eric Matuszak in the middle distances. Younger has registered the fastest times in the conference in the 500 meter and 1000 meter freestyle and is undefeated in these events. And no one has out-paced Matuszak in the 200 meter freestyle.

Harvard's 400 meter freestyle and 400 meter medley relays are credited with the league's fastest times. In all, the Crimson claims to be tops in 11 events.

Harvard's other top performances have all come from freshmen. Greg Wriede owns the best times in the 200 meter backstroke, the 200 meter butterfly, and the 200 meter and 400 meter individual medley. James Zenyuh is favored to win the 100 meter backstroke.

"I'm not a bit worried. Their youth works for us," Marks said. "These guys aren't afraid of anyone. To some degree they break the mold--they're not typical Ivy League swimmers. They came to compete nationally not in the Ivy League. They jut know how to race and how to win."

A strong showing at Easterns could lengthen the season for many swimmers who could qualify for the NCAA championships.

"Everyone could qualify," Younger said. "We have a very wide base as far as who could make NCAA championships. It just depends on whether they have a good day."