Two Sports, One Athlete

Few and far between are the athletes that have the ability to play two varsity sports on a Division I level. Even rarer are the athletes that can excel at both.

Amy Reinhard is one of those athletes.

A two-sport star in both basketball and softball, Reinhard has made a tremendous impact in turning around both programs.

"What Amy has done here at Harvard is amazing," junior point guard Jessica Gelman says.

The women's basketball team, a disappointing 7-19 overall during Reinhard's sophomore season, qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in Harvard history this year. The Crimson captured the Ivy League title, finished with 20 wins and set a pair of NCAA Tournament records for three-point field goals made in a half (eight) and a game (16).

Reinhard was also instrumental in resurrecting Harvard softball. During her freshman and sophomore years, the softball team compiled 3-7 and 4-6 Ivy League records, respectively. Over the past two seasons, however, the Crimson has risen to finish second in the Ivy League twice (behind nationally-ranked Princeton both times) and was selected to compete in the ECAC Tournament in 1995.

These accomplishments speak volumes about Reinhard's commitment to teamwork, her leadership and talent. A perennial All-Ivy selection and the team captain during her senior year, Reinhard starred on the softball diamond throughout her career. Simply put, Reinhard was "The Franchise" for the Harvard softball team; a four-year starter at shortstop, she holds the all-time Harvard records in career hits, stolen bases and runs scored.

Of course, Reinhard's accomplishments on the softball diamond tend to overshadow a solid basketball career. A role player behind such talents as Tammy Butler '95, senior Elizabeth Proudfit and sophomore Allison Feaster, Reinhard was nevertheless twice named Harvard's Defensive Player of the Year and led the Crimson in three-point shooting during her senior season. In the final game of her basketball career, Reinhard drained five of Harvard's record-setting 16 three-pointers to finish the contest with 15 points.

"I know that my skills in basketball aren't as good as my skills in softball, so basketball was more of a challenge," Reinhard says.

"Looking back at the end of my [basketball] career, I'm definitely happy with the way I played," continues Reinhard. "I'm glad that I was able to contribute to the Ivy League championship team."

Perhaps Reinhard's greatest challenge during her career was maintaining the delicate balance between her commitments to both sports, schoolwork and her social life.

"When [softball coach] Jen Allard came in here to revamp the softball program [there] was a huge conflict between our preseason and their softball games in the fall," Harvard basketball coach Kathy Delaney-Smith says. "[And Reinhard] took as many as five-course semesters as four-course semesters."

"Not everybody could do it as well as Amy did it," adds Delaney-Smith. "I think it is amazing that she has made it all work."

Reinhard shrugs off the praise; the daily rigors of being a two-sport athlete have become a way of life. Despite her time-consuming commitments to both sports, Reinhard was still able to excel academically. A sociology concentrator, Reinhard was named to the 1995 GTE District I Academic All-America Softball Team for her 3.32 grade-point average.

"Everybody says that [playing two sports] must be a lot of pressure," Reinhard says. "To tell you the truth, I feel like it's more fun for me. I wouldn't really know what to do if I didn't have these sports to organize my time."

Reinhard's success both athletically and academically are both directly attributable to her intensity and ability to focus on a task.

Before each women's basketball game, Reinhard would lead her teammates in a "wildcat call," shrieking at the top of her lungs to fire up the team.

At other times, however, Reinhard's intensity was almost comic in its magnitude.

During one basketball practice her junior season, Reinhard was so intent on playing defense that she intercepted a pass intended for her own teammate and drove in a for a lay-up.

"Amy is a competitor to her core," Delaney-Smith says.

"She was a spark for us on many occasions," adds Gelman. "It stems from her intensity."

Indeed, Reinhard's legacy will most likely not be one of individual accomplishment, despite her gaudy offensive numbers in softball and her aggressive defense and three-point shooting in basketball.

Rather, Reinhard will be remembered for her intensely competitive spirit and her enormous contributions in resurrecting and elevating two women's athletic programs at Harvard.CrimsonBeth A. TariniAMY REINHARD is Harvard's all-time leader in hits, steals and runs.

"Not everybody could do it as well as Amy did it," adds Delaney-Smith. "I think it is amazing that she has made it all work."

Reinhard shrugs off the praise; the daily rigors of being a two-sport athlete have become a way of life. Despite her time-consuming commitments to both sports, Reinhard was still able to excel academically. A sociology concentrator, Reinhard was named to the 1995 GTE District I Academic All-America Softball Team for her 3.32 grade-point average.

"Everybody says that [playing two sports] must be a lot of pressure," Reinhard says. "To tell you the truth, I feel like it's more fun for me. I wouldn't really know what to do if I didn't have these sports to organize my time."

Reinhard's success both athletically and academically are both directly attributable to her intensity and ability to focus on a task.

Before each women's basketball game, Reinhard would lead her teammates in a "wildcat call," shrieking at the top of her lungs to fire up the team.

At other times, however, Reinhard's intensity was almost comic in its magnitude.

During one basketball practice her junior season, Reinhard was so intent on playing defense that she intercepted a pass intended for her own teammate and drove in a for a lay-up.

"Amy is a competitor to her core," Delaney-Smith says.

"She was a spark for us on many occasions," adds Gelman. "It stems from her intensity."

Indeed, Reinhard's legacy will most likely not be one of individual accomplishment, despite her gaudy offensive numbers in softball and her aggressive defense and three-point shooting in basketball.

Rather, Reinhard will be remembered for her intensely competitive spirit and her enormous contributions in resurrecting and elevating two women's athletic programs at Harvard.CrimsonBeth A. TariniAMY REINHARD is Harvard's all-time leader in hits, steals and runs.