Year in Sports 2018
Multitude of Wins: Coach of the Year, Runner-Up
Kathy Delaney-Smith arrived in Cambridge in 1982. She has since become the winningest coach in Ivy League basketball history.
Why Sports?: Parting Shot
"What I will remember most about my time with the Sports Board is not how many stories I wrote or the success of the teams that I covered but rather the friendships that I formed and the experiences that I had over the past four years."
Tour de Force: Male Rookie of the Year
When Harvard men’s fencing captain and 2016 Olympian Eli Dershwitz first observed newcomer Geoffrey Tourette in-person, he quickly realized that even to his standards, this California native was going to be “special.”
Gilmore Goals: Female Rookie of the Year
Freshman Becca Gilmore Finished the season with a women's ice hockey team best in points, goals and assists.
Another Title in Hand: Team of the Year
The women's squash team went 15-0 on en route to its fourth consecutive national title.
A Storm on Lake Placid: Heartbreak of the Year
After 40 minutes of play, Harvard men's ice hockey claimed a 3-1 lead. It would not stand.
Resurfacing: Male Comeback Athlete of the Year
Co-captain Harrison Tafur separated his AC joint during the summer prior to his final season. The senior rehabilitated himself, assumed a leadership role, and helped lead men's water polo to a quarterfinal appearance in the NCAA tournament.
TaylorMade: Female Comeback Athlete of the Year
Taylor Rooks's path to the top of the women's basketball roster began in Palo Alto, Calif., and was interrupted by blood clot in her leg.
A Man of Many Hats: Male Athlete of the Year
Ryan Donato did not seem to care whether he was sporting the crimson, the stars and stripes, or the black and gold “B”—he excelled at all levels of hockey and did so with his typical unassuming demeanor.
Par for the Course: Female Performance of the Year
Though Harvard did not capture the team Ivy League title, Michelle Xie found the top of the podium in individual rankings—shooting a 77-71-72 to win individual champion.
King of the Mound: Male Performance of the Year
Striking out 12 in a matchup on the Ivy League regular season champ's home turf, Noah Zavolas threw a coveted no-hitter against Yale.
Quick Off the Block: Female Breakout Athlete of the Year
Breaking the Blodgett Pool record in the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard freestyle, sophomore Miki Dahlke was named the High Point Swimmer of the Ivy League Championships.
Strides in Tandem
Morgan Cheek and Robert Shaw have played with each other for longer than their four-year stint at Harvard.
Juz Can Do It: Male Breakout Athlete of the Year
Sophomore Christian Juzang has ascended into the limelight following a knee injury to classmate Bryce Aiken. Making the most of the increased playing time, Juzang assumed the leadership role seamlessly.
Senior Written Perspective: Tanner Lee
"Clearly he is a talented guy, but the things that don’t show up on the stat sheet or the report cards—his character, work ethic, leadership, ability to motivate, love, sense of humor—are the things that make him an unbelievable man, teammate, and friend."
Senior Written Perspective: Jing Leung
"Mention Jing’s name to anyone who knows her and they will literally start beaming. She has this effect on everyone who has the pleasure of meeting her."
First In Her Class: Female Athlete of the Year
En route to an indoor national title, junior co-captain Gabby Thomas bested a 10-year collegiate record set by an olympic gold-medalist.
Keep Calm and Write On: Parting Shot
"It is clear that work still needs to be done to make sports more inclusive. My time on the Sports Board has provided proof, albeit on a smaller scale, that it is possible for the industry to be inclusive and for women to play an active and meaningful role in it."
For the Record: Parting Shot
"Fifty years from now, the only semblance of a narrative for an insignificant basketball game might be the words I put to paper at 14p."
Boyce's Crew: Coach of the Year
When Coach Billy Boyce took the helm of the men's lightweight crew team, he said he was looking forward to "building a championship-caliber team." Two year's later he has.
Covering All the Bases: Female Comeback Athlete of the Year, Runner-Up
Coming off an ACL injury which held her out of the 2017 season, junior second baseman Meagan Lantz is right back in the mix as one of Harvard softball's key contributors.
Born to Play Softball: Female Athlete of the Year, Runner-Up
As soon as she set foot on Harvard’s campus, Rhianna Rich established herself as the softball team’s starting shortstop. Now in the spring of her junior year, Rich has been a model of consistency for three straight seasons.
Disrupting the Dynasty: Upset of the Year, Runner-Up
The men's volleyball team had only ever beaten Penn State once in the 30-year history of the matchup. The 2018 squad reversed the trend.
The Lavietes Sharpshooter: Female Athlete of the Year, Runner-Up
Katie Benzan is as good at raining threes as she is at leading Harvard women's basketball as its floor general.
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