The Head of the Class

Three years ago, Kelly Landry couldn't ice skate.

Oh, she certainly had a super set of feet. A starting forward on the women's soccer team as a freshman, the Lexington native had led the squad in goals scored (24) and points (55), setting new Harvard season records in each category.

Nevertheless, Landry added a pair of hockey skates to her collection of athletic footware, and proceeded to take Bright Center by storm her sophomore year.

And within three years of her first tentative glides, Landry had assumed the role of tri-captain for the icewomen, while playing right wing on an all-senior first line with center Liz Ward and left wing Dinny Starr.

"I salute Kelly for all she did all over the ice." Harvard Coach John Dooley said. "She's a well-made hockey player."

The self-made star paced the icewomen with 24 assist in her senior year, and chipped in with 11 goals to make her the squad's second-leading scorer.

Hockey was new to Landry, but soccer was old had Landry played the latter sport in high school, captaining her squad in her senior year.

She was named All-League three times and second team All-State once, so when she burst onto the college scene at the Business School Field, hometown fans have some notion of what was in store.

And although opposing teams learned--the tough way--to pay more attention to Landry after her stella freshman year, the aggressive forward didn't let the increased defensive pressure slow her scoring pace.

Before the 1984 season ended with a loss to the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA quarter finals Landry had kicked her way into the Harvard record books in grand fashion.

Her career totals of 73 goals and 170 points shattered Sue St. Louis' former marks (65. 148), and made Landry the Crimson's all-time leading goal and point scorer.

Fall or winter, turf or ice. Harvard could always rely upon the fabulous feet of Kelly Landry.