Does Bo Know Sue Carls?

Sue Carls has made the most of her Harvard career inside and outside the classroom--as a journalist, piano teacher, and thesis-writer. And next year, she plans to take on the topsy-turvy world of rock and roll.

But the lacrosse and soccer star will probably most be remembered for her athletic prowess and her leadership on the athletic field. The Lowell House senior from Wayland, Mass. is one student-athlete whose enthusiasm for sports and great dedication to Harvard athletics will not easily be forgotten.

Carls totalled four goals and one assist to register five points for the year as the defensive point on the lacrosse team. For her stellar performance on the field, she was named honorable mention All-Ivy by the league coaches.

Even more worthy of attention, however, is the All-America Honorable Mention she received last year for her key defensive contribution on last year's national championship squad.

This year, the Crimson failed to match last year's unprecedented performance, falling in the first round of the tournament. Carls, however, was not too disappointed with the outcome.

"We had a young team this year and this year just made last year even more special," Carls says.

Carls began her lacrosse career as a junior in high school. But her late start did not hinder her performance on the field. Her talent has grown rapidly over the four years she has played at Harvard.

"Sue has the uncanny ability to break up a play defensively," Lacrosse Coach Carale Kleinfelder says. "She's strong and has the potential to turn the game around with her defense."

Playing in 11 games this fall and 10 in the '89 season, Carls has also proven to be an invincible force as a halfback on the soccer team.

Unlike her lacrosse career, Carls's experience in soccer began at an early age. As an impressionable young sixth grader, she became fascinated with the sport by watching Pele and Portugese soccer games on television.

"Sue is an incredibly gifted athlete with a great attitude," Soccer Coach Tim Wheaton says. "She works hard all of the time and approaches the game with determination and a sense of humor."

"She's a great role model and a reminder of why you play sports, to win, but also to enjoy them," Wheaton adds.

This past year, Carls, an American History and Literature concentrator, incorporated her interest in sports into writing her thesis entitled "Transforming Concepts of Equality in Competitive American Women Collegiate Athletics."

In writing her thesis, Carls examined the Title 9 clause--which mandates equality in all collegiate athletics--by delving into the alleged NCAA monopoly and the NCAA's hostile takeover of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women in 1983.

This topic enabled Carls to explore the business aspect of American athletics, another passionate interest of hers. In the future, Carls hopes to work on the business staff of a newspaper.

Next year, she will travel to California to help manage the heavy-metal band Testament.

Carls's interests, however, extend beyond athletics and business. While at Harvard, Carls wrote and took pictures for The Harvard Crimson, tutored, and gave piano lessons.

The only regret the senior has is that she was unable to capitalize on all Harvard had to offer.

"If I had to do it all over again, I would probably have played on varsity sports for one or two years only," Carls says. "There are too many things to do at Harvard, such as writing, music."

"Sue is not only a brilliant athlete but she's also a good student," Kleinfelder says. "She's one of those people that I think everybody on the team feels they are so much better off for knowing."