In addition, the breaststroke contingent--a relatively weak link on the Crimson--has been strengthened with the addition of freshmen Rassan Grant and Jonathan Lin. Grant has already broken the team record in preseason swims, while Lin took Junior Nationals this past year.

Freshmen Brad Burns and James Lawler have also have been swimming well in the freestyle. Meanwhile, Kevin Budris and Kemi George have contributed as sprinters.

So the swimmers are obviously skilled. But, perhaps more importantly, the team has all the intangibles that it needs to excel this season, starting with its leadership at the top.

"The senior class has a huge impact both in the water and on the deck," Murphy said. "They set the pace for the team."

Moreover, five straight years at the top of its game has brought cohesiveness and a winning attitude to the Harvard locker room that is invaluable in any sport.

"We have a definite sense of team unity," Groves said. "We're a team on a mission."

Standing in the way of Harvard's mission will be a markedly more difficult schedule this year. If the Crimson can manage to match its two-year winning streak in regular season meets, it will have met a daunting challenge

"Princeton is the only other Ivy team that really competes with us," Fritsch said. "Since 1990 they haven't lost a home meet, and that's where we're going. We're also going to Texas in three weeks. There should be seven or eight Top-25 schools there as well."