MATT CHROSTOWSKI, JR.

1998 INDUCTION TO THE RHODE ISLAND AQUATIC HALL OF FAME

Matt Chrostowski ^‘s devotion to swimming began at the young age of 9 at the Olneyville Boys Club. While at Olneyville, Matt competed in other Boy’s Club, YMCA and AAU sponsored meets all over New England.

Matt’s career began to flourish when he entered LaSalle Academy. He swam very competitively, making the R.I. All-State Team for LaSalle three years in a row. In his sophomore year he was All-State on the 200 yard medley and freestyle relay teams. Also, in that year, Matt placed first in the 200 yd. medley relay in the National Catholic Championships and the 400 freestyle relay in the New England Boy ^l s Club Invitational. By his junior year, in 1958, Matt had won four R.I. State titles in the 50 and 1 00 freestyle. He was New England 100 yd. freestyle Champion, All-State in the 100 yd. freestyle and 200 yd. freestyle relay and was All-American in the 200 yd. freestyle relay. In his Senior year, Matt won the R.I. 50 yd. freestyle title, the 50 and. 100 yd. freestyle at the Brown Interscholastic Meet and was All-State in the 50 and 100 yd. freestyle and 200 yd. medley relay.

Graduating from high school in 1959, Matt was awarded a full scholarship at Saint Louis

University. At St. Louis, he was one of their top swimmers in the 50 and 1 00 yd. freestyle. As a freshman he won the 50 and 100 yd. freestyle at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships setting two pool records. Matt left St.

Louis and finished at the University of Rhode Island. While at URI Matt taught freshman swimming lessons for three years as part of his physical education course.

For the next 25 years, Matt was in and out of the pool, leisurely working out. In 1994 he started swimming competitively again in the New England Masters Swim Club. After turning age 55, Matt has posted times in the 100, and 200 yd freestyle, ranking him in the top ten of the New England Masters and, in the 50 yd. freestyle, he was ranked in the top ten nationally. His father, the late Matthew Chrostowski, was inducted into the R.I. Aquatic Halt of Fame in 1982.