Northwestern University Athletics
Mike Alexandrov and Matt Grevers: The Future is Now
4/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
April 9, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill. -- One swims because it is in his blood, the other because it was his only shot at a college scholarship. Whatever the reasons, together they became the most decorated freshmen duo in the country this season, helping put Northwestern swimming back in the national spotlight with its best season in 60 years.
Mike Alexandrov (Champaign, Ill./Centennial) was born a Bulgarian citizen, son of 1980 Olympian Plamen Alexandrov. "My dad got me involved in swimming and has served as my coach for a long time," Mike says. " It's a good feeling to carry on the tradition in the family."
When Mike says he is carrying on the family tradition, he isn't kidding. The younger Alexandrov was a six-time Bulgarian national record holder before he got to Northwestern, and three more national marks fell to him April 2-4 in the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke and the 200 IM at a meet celebrating legendary Indiana University coach "Doc" Counsilman.
Mike finished seventh in the 200-meter breaststroke at the most recent European Championships, and like his father before him, also will be an Olympian, having qualified to represent his country in the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece.
Unlike Alexandrov, Matt Grevers (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) does not have a swimming pedigree or a slew of national records. He is just a superior athlete with a competitive drive bordering on obsession.
"I'm one of the most competitive kids you will ever meet," Grevers says. "I love all sports; I am intense playing tic-tac-toe or anything. I just love to compete."
The 6-foot-7, 215-pounder led his high school swim team to a state and national title last year, one season removed from being beaten out at the state level by only 1.5 points. "I was sour about that," Grevers said. "We vowed to win the state title and it was definitely a sweet taste when we did that and won the national championship, too."
A standout water polo and volleyball athlete, Grevers found that swimming offered him the best chance to bring his passion for winning to the NCAA level. "I wouldn't have gotten a scholarship doing anything else," said the 2003 Swimming World High School Swimmer of the Year. "I definitely appreciate swimming a little bit more now, though."
That will happen when you earn seven All-America honors, two Big Ten Championships and have a hand in breaking seven school records in just your freshman year. Alexandrov pitched in another five All-America nods and three more individual school records this season. Coupled with six other swimmers at the NCAA Championships, it all added up to an 11th-place finish, the Wildcats' best since 1944.
"That was something good for our team, because we had such high expectations coming in," Alexandrov said. "Coming out we did a great job."
Great, but not good enough for the most feared tandom in Northwestern history.
"I didn't get the job done on the final day (of the Championships)," Grevers said. "I tried to play it off, but I was too nervous. All of these fast guys everywhere and I felt like I didn't fit in, but theoretically I should have been able to top them."
Said Alexandrov: "Everyone had their necks turned, looking at Northwestern with guys in the finals left and right. We weren't winning, but we were definitely there. We need to be in the top eight next year because we have a big team coming in and the talent to make it work."
Nervousness and dissatisfaction from a national champion and a future Olympian? You bet. After all, these guys are still just freshmen.
"I struggled a lot with the transition to college," Alexandrov said. "There is so much pressure not only to perform but also to do well in my classes."
Grevers says he never got nervous in high school, but now "even the smallest duals I'm nervous. Every race is important, every swimmer is faster. This season has done a lot to build confidence, though."
Confidence not only in themselves, but also in an NU program that has skyrocketed into the national picture.
"We have top recruits coming in so we should definitely be better," Grevers said. "To tell you the truth, I am bitter that we didn't finish in the top ten."
The last time Grevers was bitter, his squad earned a national championship. The swimming world is officially on notice.
