2012-13: Member of Northwestern's sprint freestyle group who enjoyed a strong senior year ... Ranked fourth on NU's top times list for the season in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 free ... Despite suffering from Bell's Palsy at the Big Ten Championships, swam season-best times in all three of his events to place 41st in the 50 free, 45th in the 100 free and 57th in the 200 free ... Qualified for a trio of championship finals at NU's own four-team TYR Invitational (11/16-11/18), finishing second overall in the 50 free and sixth in both the 100 and 200 freestyle races ... Made TYR bonus final swims in the 100 back and 50 fly, ending up 20th overall in both of those events ... Member of a five-Wildcat contingent to compete at the AT&T USA Swimming Winter Nationals (11/29-12/1), where he swam in the 50 free (49th) and 100 free (51st) ... Scored dual-meet points with eight total top-five finishes during the fall ... Best duals came at Wisconsin (11/8) and at Milwaukee (1/16) when he placed third in both the 50 and 100 free events.
2011-12:Ranked fifth on Northwestern's top times list for the season in the 50 and 100 free events ... Competed in the 50 free (40th), 100 free (40th) and 200 free (48th) at the Big Ten Championships, swimming career-best times in the 50 (20.57) and 200 (1:39.76) ... Won the 50 free in a double dual against Lewis and Carthage College (1/7) ... Had five total top-three dual meet finishes ... Swam on the pool-record-breaking 200 medley relay at Lewis in a double dual that also included Carthage College (1/7) ... Qualified for three consolation finals at Northwestern's own five-team TYR Invitational (11/18-11/20), finishing 11th in the 100 free, 11th in the 200 free and 16th in the 100 back ... Also won the bonus final of the 50 free at the TYR Invite.
2010-11:Ranked second in the 100 free and third in the 50 free on Northwestern's top times list for the season ... Qualified for the bonus final of the 100 free at the Big Ten Championships, placing 20th overall with a career-best 44.99 during the evening session ... Also swam a career-best time in the 50 free with a 35th-place 20.69 at the conference meet ... Rounded out his Big Ten Championships events by participating in the 200 free (60th) ... Swam with NU's 200 free and 400 free relays at the Big Ten Championships, earning NCAA `B' provisional qualifying times with both ... Finished fourth in both the 50 free and 100 free at Northwestern's own five-team TYR Invitational (11/19-11/21) ... Earned three bonus final swims at the TYR, winning the heat in the 100 back and 50 fly while placing 19th in the 200 free ... Won the 100 free at NU's quad dual (11/6) ... Earned a pair of second-place finishes in the 50 free and 100 free at Wisconsin (11/11) to help him to eight top-five dual-meet efforts during the year.
2009-10:Sprint freestyler who ranked third on Northwestern's top times list for the year in the 50 free ... Part of the Wildcats' top 200 and 400 free relays on the season, earning an NCAA `B' provisional qualifying time with the 400 free relay at the Big Ten Championships after providing the squad with a season-best 50 free leadoff split of 20.80 ... Competed individually at the conference meet in the 50 free (43rd), 100 free (43rd) and 200 free (44th), swimming season-best times in all three ... Made the bonus finals of the 100 and 200 free events at NU's six-team TYR Invitational, winning the bonus heat of the 200 free and taking third (19th overall) in the 100 ... Best dual-meet finishes of the season were third places in the 100 free against UIC (11/14) and Carthage and Lewis (1/16).
High School:Two-time Home News Tribune Swimmer of the Year ... Also received the 2009 Boys Swimmer of the Year award in Middlesex County ... Gained All-America distinctions twice in the 50 freeestyle ... Competed in the Junior Polish Nationals in 2008 ... Star Ledger All-State first-team honoree ... Six-time 50 and 100 free champion and current high school record holder in both events for Greater Middlesex Conference ... Also holds Sayreville War Memorial High School records in the 100 fly and the 50 and 100 free ... Inducted into high school's Hall of Fame in 2008 ... Swam 10 years of club with the Raritan Valley YMCA Riptide ... National Honor Society ... Recipient of the Jay H. Dakelman Scholar-Athlete Award.
Personal:Born Alexander Matthew Ratajczyk ... Son of Zbigniew and Boguslawa Ratajczyk ... Chose Northwestern over Michigan and Maryland ... Majoring in Radio/Television/Film with minors in Psychology and Business Institutions.
RATAJCZYK'S PERSONAL BESTS
| Event | Personal Best |
| 50 freestyle | 20.57 |
| 100 freestyle | 44.99 |
| 200 freestyle | 1:39.76 |