Harvard Varsity Club NEWS & VIEWS of Harvard Sports Volume 51 Issue No. 1 www.varsityclub.harvard.edu August 28, 2008 Crimson Gridders Looking To Defend Ivy League Title in 2008 by Kurt Svoboda 15th-year head coach Tim Murphy seem primed to continue that Director of Athletic Communications string of success in the 2008 season, although competitive foes led by Brown and Yale will threaten for league supremacy. Twenty- The anticipation of Harvard’s 135th season surrounds the nine Major H award winners return from last year, including an return of 15 starters from 2007 as well as 11 returning All-Ivy impressive 22 starters from 2007. League selections for the defending Ivy League-champion Crim- A defense that has been ranked near the top of Division I in son. Unabated by two close setbacks early in the 2007 campaign, each of the past four seasons will be bolstered by 18 returning Harvard spun off seven consecutive victories to finish the season letterwinners and eight starters from a year ago along with a pair undefeated in Ivy League play, capped by a rousing 37-6 victory of starters from 2006 who missed last year. Harvard finished the over previously unbeaten and 11th-ranked Yale in the 124th play- season ranked in the nation’s top five in five different statistical ing of The Game. categories including turnover margin, passing efficiency defense Losses have been few and far between in Cambridge over and rushing touchdowns allowed with just four. the last six years, as The offense, meanwhile, welcomes back 12 players who start- Harvard has amassed a ed at least one game in 2007 and features a pair of All-Ivy League combined 48-11 record quarterbacks to go with eight returning skill position contribu- in that span including tors. Senior signal-callers Chris Pizzotti and Liam O’Hagan were two undefeated sea- ranked first and second in the Ivy League in passing efficiency last sons, three undefeated season and enter their final year to the relief of many around the Ivy championships league. The pair has already etched their names among Harvard’s and what can, without leaders in numerous passing categories and will be helped by the question, be termed as return of a talented offensive line and athletic running backs and the most consistently wide receivers. successful program in Fans will note that Harvard’s 2008 schedule consists of the the Ivy League dur- same opponents that the Crimson faced in each of the last three ing that stretch.The years. Seven of the 10 games will be against Ivy League oppo- Crimson has registered nents as the Ancient Eight continues to see the gap between the at least seven wins in league champion and the last-place schools tighten. The three each of the last seven nonleague games, meanwhile, are against the consensus choices years, making Harvard as the top three teams in the Patriot League, including the season- the first team in the opener against a Holy Cross squad that has been tabbed as that history of Ivy League conference’s favorite by some prognosticators. football to post such Here’s a look at how the Crimson shapes up by position: a string of successful OFFENSE Preseason All-American junior James Williams. seasons. Senior QBs Pizzotti and O’Hagan have combined to start 28 dspics.com Harvard and Continued on page 6 New Expanded Ticket Area at Harvard Stadium This fall when you head to Harvard Stadium on football gamedays you will immediately notice some changes. In an effort to cooperate with the City of Boston, and in doing so create a more enjoyable environment for fans, Harvard has expanded the ticket area and instituted new reentry policies for home football games. The enlarged area (see map) will now include space around Harvard Stadium, including the grass courtyard between the Murr Center and the Bright Hockey Center, as well as the walk- way between the Murr Center and Harvard Stadium. Within this area fans will be treated to more concession and entertainment options throughout the game. The new expanded ticket area will give fans a place to go in light of the Stadium’s new no re-entry policy. Starting this season, fans who depart the new expanded ticket area will not be allowed to return unless they purchase a new ticket. Fans will be allowed to leave Harvard Stadium and return, but only if they remain within the ticket area. Fans are encouraged to take advantage of the new concession and entertainment vendors that will now align the courtyard and walkway. Lastly, parking lot tailgating will close at the start of the football game. This will be applicable to all Harvard parking lots. Post game tailgating will be permitted after day games, but like last year, not after the September 19th night game. Parking lots open two hours prior to kickoff. Come early to tailgate then head into Harvard Stadium and enjoy the day New ticket area shown above in RED. Ticket area will include from there. While these changes were made in consultation with vendors selling a variety of food, drinks and merchandise. Go the City of Boston, we hope they will also enhance the gameday to gocrimson.com/fancenter/gameday for the most up to date experience for all the fans at Harvard Stadium. For questions or information. comments please contact the Athletic Department at 617-495-2206. Fall Sports Preview Women’s Soccer Field hockey • Head coach Sue Caples adds a class of six talented freshman • Harvard looks to continue the turnaround it started last from across the globe to a roster full of experienced veterans as season, when it had the nation’s fifth-most-improved record, Harvard looks to again compete for an Ivy championship. going 10-6-1 in Ray Leone’s first year as head coach. The • The Crimson is led by a strong senior class, all five members Crimson brings back most of its weapons on both ends of the of which started throughout last season. Forwards Tami Jafar field, returning 88 percent of its scoring and five All-Ivy League and Kayla Romanelli look to build on all-league seasons in 2007, performers, including goalkeeper Lauren Mann. Jafar shared the team lead with five goals last season, earning se- • Mann, a second-team All-Ivy selection in 2007 and the league lection to the All-Ivy second team. Romanelli, a team co-captain, Rookie of the Year in 2006, started all 17 games in net a year ago garnered all-league honorable mention, also netting five goals and made a league-best 76 saves en route to nine shutouts, also a and setting up two others. conference high. • Kylie Stone, the Crimson’s other co-captain, entered last sea- • Senior co-captain Nicole Rhodes and junior Lizzy Nichols son without a career start but earned the full-time job in the pre- give Harvard experience and skill at defense as both garnered season and went on to start 16 games, shut out two opponents All-Ivy honors and started all 17 games last fall. Nichols and earn year-end recognition as the team’s most-improved received All-Ivy and NSCAA All-Northeast second-team ac- player. She ranked in the top half of the Ivy League in colades, while Rhodes, one of only two three-time captains in conference (1.37) and overall (1.80) goals-against average. Crimson history, earned honorable mention, as the Crimson • Francine Polet has started the last 35 games on the Crimson surrendered only 13 goals all season. Senior co-captain Allison back line and has also aided the offense on penalty corners. She Keeley has started 27 games in her Crimson career and will scored three goals and added three assists last season, on the bolster the defense after returning from an injury. way to Academic All-Ivy honors. Classmate Abbie Harpstead is • Katherine Sheeleigh, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year and also entering her third season as a starter. a Soccer Buzz freshman All-America third-team honoree, was • The veterans and newcomers will look to jell in time for the Harvard’s leading scorer as a rookie, tallying eight goals and season opener, Sept. 5 at home vs. Holy Cross. 16 points. The NSCAA All-Northeast second-team selection ranked second in the Ivy League in scoring and was a two-time Sailing Ivy Rookie of the Week. At midfield, sophomore All-Ivy League • Harvard returns its entire starting lineup, led by All-America second-team performer Gina Wideroff finished second on the skipper Megan Watson. Watson, then a junior, placed third in squad with five goals and 12 points. the New England Women’s Singlehanded Championship, going • Harvard begins the 2008 season with a trip to southern Cali- on to a ninth-place. fornia to face Long Beach State Sept. 5 and Loyola Marymount • She is joined by partner Meghan Wareham, who was thrust Sept. 7. into A-division duty as a freshman last season. Junior Liz Pow- ers and sophomore Quincy Bock handled much of the B-divi- Men’s Tennis sion work a year ago. • For the coed team Alan Palmer sailed well late in his rookie • The defending league-champion champion Crimson will be season and should compete for the Crimson’s open A-division road warriors this fall, with eight tournaments away from home skipper position. Sophomore Tedd Himler and junior Drew listed on the schedule after starting the academic year by hosting Robb are Harvard’s top returning singlehanded performers, the Harvard Open Sept.