Commencement 2020 Sports
Finding the Meaning of Sports: Parting Shot
As I leave the ranks of Crimson Sports, that is my final request: To athletes, be more than just athletes. To fans, view athletes as more than just athletes. And never just shut up and dribble.
The Conclusion of a Controversy-Riddled Tenure: Parting Shot
Every article which the Sports Board produces has an overarching question, a reason for putting the pen to paper and dedicating that precious time which might otherwise be spent in Kong eating crab rangoons.
Senior Perspective: Grace Eysenbach — Learning from Imperfect Ending
After finishing my junior spring competing on the Harvard-Radcliffe Heavyweight Crew Team, I knew I needed to take the next semester off of rowing. This is probably not how you expected a senior student-athlete reflection article to start.
Senior Perspective: Jake Suddleson
No, this wasn’t how my time at Harvard was supposed to end. But, with new challenges come new opportunities. And with new opportunities come new experiences.
Senior Perspective: Justin Bassey
My journey through Harvard and with Harvard Basketball has been the greatest adventure of my life thus far.
‘A Unicorn Class’: Women's Soccer Welcomes Historic Recruiting Class
Harvard women’s soccer’s Class of 2024 recruiting class is arguably the best in program history, with an incoming eight-member group ranked No. 5 in the nation by TopDrawerSoccer. Among the recruits are three of the country’s top-12 prospects and six players with national team experience.
‘She Wouldn’t Back Down’: Inside Incoming Athletic Director Erin McDermott’s College Basketball Career
But McDermott is no stranger to Division I athletics. She brings to Harvard a background in Ivy League administration, having previously held top posts in the athletic departments at Columbia University and Princeton University. What is more, McDermott understands what it is like to be a Division I athlete because she was one herself.
Setting Her Own Pace: Abbe Goldstein, Comeback of the Year
For Harvard distance runner Abbe Goldstein, the abrupt end to her junior track and field season due to COVID-19 did little to diminish the sweeping success of her 2020 campaign. Goldstein enjoyed a breakthrough performance on the track, and her work ethic, optimism, and resiliency have led to triumph off of it as well.
The Game for the Ages: Football vs. Yale, Heartbreak of the Year
With four minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, The Game was Harvard’s to lose.
Number 200: Men’s Water Polo vs. Princeton, Game of the Year
“I don’t think there was a feeling of anxiety or nervousness around the team, but I think that people definitely knew the pressure that was on us,” sophomore goalie Noah Hodge said. “Preparation-wise, everyone knew we just had to go out there and do what we’ve been doing all year.”
It's Lonely at the Top: Women's Rugby, National Champs and Team of the Year
On Mignone Field, in front of a large and boisterous home crowd, the Harvard women’s rugby team defeated Army West Point 18-7 to be named the 2019 National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) National Champions for the first time in program history. After a season full of adversity and a couple stinging losses, the team pulled together to achieve a historic season.
‘This Is Why We Get Skated So Much’: Women’s Ice Hockey Outlasts Yale, Team Performance of the Year
Over 102 minutes of game-play had elapsed, and even still, a winner had not yet been crowned. Everything was on the line as the mid-afternoon crept into the evening.
Catch Him if You Can: Aidan Borguet vs. Yale, Individual Performance of the Year
The game proceeded into near-darkness as a result of the delay and the 105-year-old Yale Bowl’s deficiency in the area of lighting fixtures. The Bulldogs overcame a 17-point deficit and completed the comeback with a victory in the second overtime. And, Harvard’s unassuming first-year running back Aidan Borguet set the rushing record and tied the scoring record for the historic rivalry.
Another Accolade: Nick Abruzzese, Male Rookie of the Year
The Crimson is not the only entity to give first-year forward Nick Abruzzese post-season accolades: his conference already has. The ECAC labeled him the rookie of the year in men’s ice hockey, thanks to a 44-point 2019-20 campaign. The conference also reserved spots for the first-year forward on the all-ECAC First Team and the ECAC All-Rookie team.
Seconds Ahead of Second: Felicia Pasadyn, Female Rookie of the Year
It is not normal to be winning multiple races at the Ivy League Swimming and Diving Championships by several seconds, where races are often determined by fractions of a second. Nor is it normal to win every event you swim in at a championship meet — but that’s exactly what Pasadyn did this February at the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center at Brown University in Providence, R.I.
No Shoe, No Problem: Kieran Tuntivate, Male Athlete of the Year
On the second day of the Valentine Invitational at nearby BU, a Harvard runner would make history. Senior cross country and track star Kieran Tuntivate broke the once unthinkable four-minute barrier in the mile, crossing the finish line in 3:57.36.
A ‘Quiet Warrior’: Gina Kennedy, Female Athlete of the Year
For many athletes, elevated expectations come with crippling performance challenges. But as Harvard squash champion Gina Kennedy went from being one of the top performers in the country to becoming the player to beat in all of women’s college squash, she dazzled under the spotlight.
A Note to Readers: A Year in Sports Unlike Any Other
Going forward, we hope to continue telling student-athlete stories, and we look forward to a time when we truly do have a “year” in sports to review, and not just two-thirds of one.
Being a Part of Something: Parting Shot
Whether The Crimson is part of your Harvard experience or not, I urge you to be part of something. It’ll give you so much to be thankful for.
Men's Hockey 2019-2020 Season Recap
The Crimson impressed with its skilled, young core but at times struggled with inconsistency. An abrupt end to the season due to COVID-19 leaves many questions unanswered.
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