text:
Circa 1780 - The Tradition Begins
Athletic competition among Harvard students begins when a group of sophomores issue a challenge to members of the freshman class for a wrestling match. Afterward, the winners are treated to dinner by the vanquished
Fall 1827 - Football Forerunner
A poem entitled "The Battle of the Delta" is published. It refers to an annual "football" contest between the college's freshmen and sophomores played on the Delta, where Memorial Hall now stands. Though extremely popular, these games become increasingly brutal and are finally banned by the Faculty in 1860.
Fall 1844 - Boat Club Organized
The first Harvard boat club is organized by Horace Cunningham '46 and his classmates when they purchase an eight-oared boat, the Star, and re-christen it the Oneida.
Fall 1846 - Crew Wins First Race
Harvard crew holds its first race against an outside opponent. Members of the Class of 1847, competing in the Huron, defeat the Wave of Boston over an approximate two-mile course on the Charles River.
August 3, 1852 - College Athletics Are Born
Harvard and Yale meet in America's first intercollegiate athletic event-a crew race on Lake Winnipesaukee in Center Harbor, NH. Harvard wins the two-mile contest and sets into motion a rivalry that thrives to this day. The Harvard and Yale heavyweight crews now hold an annual four mile contest on the Thames River in New London, CT, the longest race of its kind in the country.
June 19, 1858 - Red Bandanas
Harvard distinguishes itself from its competition when Charles W. Eliot '53 purchases six red Chinese silk bandanas for his crew members to wear for that day's regatta. It is believed to be the first time a sports team features an identifying mark. Eliot later serves as Harvard's President from 1869 until 1909.
Fall 1859 - Shell Game
The first college racing "shell" built in America was the Harvard, a 40-foot, six-oared pine shell with iron outriggers, but without coxswain or rudder. Built for Harvard in the fall of 1857 it is first used against Yale in 1859.
December 1862 - Freshmen Form Baseball Club
Harvard's first baseball team, the '66 Baseball Club, is formed by freshmen George A. Flagg and Frank Wright. The team begins practice the following spring on Cambridge Common, the site where General George Washington had taken command of the Continental Army some 80 years earlier. The squad plays its first game on June 27, 1863, and scores a 27-17 victory over Brown in Providence. The game inaugurated intercollegiate baseball at Harvard, although only by class nines.
July 15, 1865 - New England's Best Baseball Team
Having brought together the best of the class nines to form the Harvard University Base Ball Club, Harvard defeats a highly-touted amateur team from Lowell, 28-17, to win the Silver Ball, symbolic of New England supremacy. Four days later, Harvard plays its first official intercollegiate game and defeats Williams College, 35-30.
August 27, 1869 - International Waters
Harvard's first international competition takes place. A four-oar crew from Oxford edges Harvard in a four-and-a-quarter mile race on the Thames River in England.
May 14, 1874 - First Football Game
Football makes its Cambridge debut when Harvard accepts a proposal from McGill University for a two-game series at Jarvis Field, now the site of the Harvard Law School. Harvard wins the opener, 3 goals to 0, and the schools battle to a 0-0 draw the following afternoon. The contests lead directly to the present intercollegiate game of football.
July 1874 - Track Gets Its Start
Intercollegiate track is initiated at Harvard. Four undergraduates compete in a meet at Saratoga, NY, an event held in conjunction with the Intercollegiate Rowing Association championships.
October 7, 1874 - Athletic Association Formed
The first Harvard Athletic Association is formed. Comprised entirely of undergraduates, this body takes general charge of track sports and gymnasium meetings for the next two decades. Benjamin R. Curtis '75 is chosen the HAA's first president.
May 6, 1875 - Crimson Pride
Harvard students hold a plebiscite and overwhelmingly select Crimson as the school color and nickname. It defeats Magenta, a more purplish shade of red.
June 4, 1875 - Sharp-Dressed Men
Harvard plays its first intercollegiate football game, hosting Tufts at Jarvis Field. Just as historic is that Harvard is outfitted in formal uniforms, believed to be the first time a team has been so identified. The squad is adorned in the newly-chosen school colors, with a uniform of white shirts and pants, with crimson trimming and crimson hose.
November 13, 1875 - Let "The Game" Begin
The first Harvard-Yale football game is played. The Crimson wins this initial meeting, held at Hamilton Park in New Haven, with four goals and four touchdowns to no goals and no touchdowns for the Elis. Modified rugby rules are used with 15 men on each team. One year later the Intercollegiate Football Association is organized with Harvard, Princeton, and Columbia as members.
November 1875 - Presidential Prowess
A. Lawrence Lowell '77, who will go on to serve as Harvard's President from 1909 until 1933, sets school records in the 880 and the mile on the dirt track at Jarvis Field.
April 12, 1877 - First Catcher's Mask
The first baseball catcher's mask is used when inventor Fred Thayer '78 takes the concept of a fencing mask and adapts it for J. Alexander Tyng '76, Harvard's starting catcher. Tyng makes only two errors in his first game with the mask, an exceptionally low number for even a professional in that era.
Fall 1878 - Men's Lacrosse Debuts
The Harvard Lacrosse Association is established and the team begins play the following spring. Harvard wins national championships in 1881 and 1882 by defeating Yale and Princeton.
Spring 1880 - Track's "Golden Age" Begins
Harvard track enters its first "Golden Age" by winning the first of seven straight Intercollegiate titles. Evert Wendell '82 is the catalyst for the first championship, with his victories in the 100, 220, and 440 yard dashes. In 1886, Wendell Baker '86 sets a world's record for the 440 with a time of 47.75 seconds. He runs from a standing start on a straight-away dirt track and sets the mark despite losing his shoe 50 yards from the finish.
Fall 1880 - Tennis Association Formed
The Harvard Lawn Tennis Association is formed, a full year ahead of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association.
October 31, 1881 - East Meets West
Harvard plays in the first East-West Intersectional football game when it hosts the University of Michigan at the South End Grounds in Boston. The Crimson wins this historic battle, 4-0, as part of its 6-1-1 season.
Fall 1881 - Courting Early Success
Richard Sears '83 wins his first of seven straight national singles tennis titles, a feat that has never been equaled. He also wins the national doubles title five times with partner and coach Dr. James Dwight '74. Sears later becomes the first player elected to the International Lawn Tennis Hall of Fame; Dwight will serve as president of the USLTA for 20 years, and is regarded as the "Father of American Tennis."
June 5, 1882 - Regulations Adopted
The Committee on the Regulation of Athletic Sports meets for the first time. The Committee is appointed by Harvard President Charles W. Eliot '53 after the Faculty complains of the baseball team's lengthy season (28 games). They adopt a set of regulations basic to all collegiate programs even today: 1-College teams and athletic clubs are to compete only with amateurs; 2-No trainers or coaches are to be employed without authority from the Committee; 3-Nobody is to take part in contests except after an examination by the Physical Director; 4-All oarsmen are to pass a swimming test before going on the river.
Spring 1883 - Tennis Titles
In Hartford, CT, at the inaugural intercollegiate tennis championships, Harvard's Joseph S. Clark '83 wins the singles title and then teams with H.A. Taylor '86 for the doubles crown. By 1921, Harvard players have claimed 16 singles championships and 17 doubles titles.
November 22, 1884 - Little Red Flag
"Little Red Flag," which is waved each time Harvard football scores against Yale, is believed to make its debut. The original small red flag is still carried to every Harvard-Yale game by the alumnus of the College who has seen the most consecutive games between the rivals.
December 13, 1888 - First Collegiate Fencing Club
The Harvard Fencing Club held its first meeting with 35 of the 40 young men present signing up as charter members. The following spring, the Club crowned its first champion when J.M. Morton, Jr. '91 defeated J.T. Lincoln '92 in the finals, held at the old Hemenway Gymnasium.
March 14, 1889 - Spring Practice
Harvard holds what is believed to be the first spring football practice when captain Arthur J. Cumnock '91 leads the team in drills on Jarvis Field.
Summer 1890 - Soldiers Field Donated
Henry Lee Higginson '55 donates 31 acres to the University for "Soldiers Field," in memory of six of his Harvard comrades lost while fighting for the Union. The University then purchases nine adjoining acres, to connect with 30 acres of marshy land given by Professor Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1870. By 1894, all of Harvard's outdoor athletics teams are playing at Soldiers Field, with the exception of track.
November 22, 1890 - National Champions
Harvard captures its first of seven national football championships. The Crimson defeats Yale, 12-6, on the season's final day, and finishes with an 11-0 record.
November 19, 1892 - The Flying Wedge
In the second half of its game vs. Yale, Harvard introduces the infamous "Flying Wedge," a momentum play conceived by chess expert Lorin F. Deland. The play is outlawed one year later because of its brutality.
Spring 1893 - New HAA Formed
The Committee on the Regulation of Harvard Sports organizes the second Harvard Athletic Association for the operation and management of all sports engaged in by Harvard students. It remains in operation until 1951 when it becomes the Department of Athletics.
November 30, 1893 - First African-American Captain
William H. Lewis L.S. becomes Harvard's first African-American captain when he is elected to the post prior to the Pennsylvania football game. The Harvard law student, who is later appointed an Assistant U.S. Attorney General by President Taft, had captained the Amherst football team in 1891. The first football scoreboard is used in the same game, a 26-4 win over the visiting Quakers.
January 1894 - New Sport Sets Sail
The Harvard Yacht Club, the forerunner of the Crimson's intercollegiate sailing program, is formed. Over the next half-century, the Club's honor roll will grow to include U.S. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt '04 and John F. Kennedy '40 and several Olympians, including gold medal winners Paul H. Smart '14, Hilary H. Smart '47, and George D. O'Day '45.
May 5, 1894 - A Fencing First
Harvard fencing wins the first IFA Championship, and goes on to capture six of the first seven titles while producing three individual champions in the same span.
July 1895 - The Oxford-Cambridge Meet
A combined Harvard-Yale track team meets one from Oxford-Cambridge at the Queens Club in London. The meet, now held every two years, stands as the world's oldest continuing international intercollegiate competition.
Spring 1896 - Golfing Greatness
Formal play begins for the Harvard men's golf program. Two years later, James F. Curtis '99 wins the national intercollegiate championship, the first of eight Harvard men to gain that honor over the next 20 years. By 1904, Harvard has won six national team championships.
April 6, 1896 - Olympic Gold
A Harvard man wins the first gold medal of the modern Olympics. James B. Connolly '99 captures the hop, step, and jump at the Athens Games to earn his place in history. To make the trip, Connolly is forced to resign from the college, but is honored in 1949 when he receives a major H for his Olympic feats. By that time, he is a celebrated author of sea stories such as The Seiners and The Gloucestermen. Also at the 1896 Olympics, Ellery H. Clark '96 earns two gold medals by winning the high jump and long jump, Thomas E. Burke '01 takes the 100 and 400 meter dashes, and William W. Hoyt '98 is the gold medalist in the pole vault. In addition, John B. Paine '92 captures gold in the military pistol, and brother Sumner Paine '90 wins the gold in free pistol.
January 19, 1898 - Hockey Hits The Ice
Harvard plays its first college hockey game when Brown defeats the Crimson on Boston's Franklin Field. The rivalry is the oldest continuing hockey series in the country.
Spring 1898 - Radcliffe Takes Up Tennis...
Radcliffe plays its first intercollegiate tennis match, defeating Wellesley College.
December 12, 1898 - ...And Basketball Soon Follows
The original Hemenway Gymnasium, built on the Radcliffe campus, opens and a women's basketball team is fielded. Annie Jackson '00 is chosen captain for the first "varsity" team. The sport gains popularity and, over the next decade, a strong rivalry develops with Smith College.
February 26, 1900 - Black-Tie Affair
Harvard's hockey team meets Yale for the first time. The Elis win the black-tie affair, 5-4, at the St. Nicholas Rink in New York, but the Crimson answers back in the rematch the following winter, 4-0.
December 7, 1900 - Men's Basketball Begins
At the urging of John Kirkland Clark, a Yale graduate attending Harvard Law School, the Athletic Committee officially recognizes the sport of men's basketball at Harvard. Clark becomes the Crimson's first captain and coach. Harvard's first intercollegiate game is a victory, 20-10 over Holy Cross.
Spring 1900 - Harvard Man Starts The Davis Cup
Dwight Davis '00 funds an international tennis competition that becomes known as the Davis Cup. Davis and three Harvard teammates defeat a British team in the inaugural event.
August 1901 - Field Hockey Is Introduced To America
Field hockey is first introduced to America at Radcliffe. Miss Constance Applebee demonstrates the sport, which is popular in her native England, to classmates outside of the Hemenway Gymnasium. At a time when women played croquet or lawn tennis, the sport was quite revolutionary and met early opposition.
October 31, 1902 - Hidden Ball No Match
Glenn S. "Pop" Warner, coach of the famed Carlisle Indians, introduces the hidden ball trick in a game against Harvard. The ploy was unleashed during the second half kickoff, and the resulting touchdown moved Carlisle ahead, 11-0. Harvard collected the Halloween Day treat, however, by rebounding for a 12-11 victory.
January 10, 1903 - Streaking Skaters
A 4-3 victory over MIT starts the Harvard men's ice hockey team on a 22-game winning streak that spans nearly six seasons. The Crimson defeats Yale eight straight times during the streak.
October 31, 1903 - Hidden Ball Trick
Glenn S. "Pop" Warner, coach of the famed Carlisle Indians, introduces the hidden ball trick in a game against Harvard. The ploy is unleashed during the second half kickoff, and the play results in a touchdown that moves Carlisle ahead, 11-0. Harvard collects the Halloween Day treat, however, by rebounding for a 12-11 victory. The game is the final one on the old Soldiers Field gridiron, where the baseball team now plays.
November 14, 1903 - Harvard Stadium Opens
Harvard Stadium, America's oldest football stadium and arguably still its best because of fans' proximity to the action, opens with a game against Dartmouth College. The Stadium's construction will lead to one of the most revolutionary changes in the sport. In 1905, when football rule changes are discussed, one idea put forth is to widen the field by as much as 40 yards. But the Stadium's stands, which were built with reinforced concrete, could not be moved back to accommodate a wider field. Instead, the forward pass is adopted in time for the 1906 season.
April 1, 1905 - First College Soccer Match
Harvard plays in the first intercollegiate soccer match against Haverford. The Crimson falls to the Pennsylvania school, 1-0, at Soldiers Field. On May 6 of the same year, Harvard records its first victory, 2-1, over Columbia. Dr. Richard Gummere PhD '07, later the College's Dean of Admissions, is credited with organizing the sport on campus.
December 1905 - White House Conference
U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt '80 calls for a conference at the White House to discuss violence in football after 18 college players are killed and 159 seriously injured during the season. As a result of these meetings, the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS)-the forerunner of the NCAA-is formed and Harvard is among the original 62 member institutions. LeBaron Briggs, Dean of Harvard College from 1891 to 1902 and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences from 1902 until 1925, later serves as President of the NCAA.
Fall 1908 - Modern Varsity Club Formed
The modern Harvard Varsity Club is formed, with the goals of supplying permanent quarters for training tables and providing a common meeting ground for members of teams, coaches, and old "H" men. A house on Holyoke Street is leased and used by the school's four major teams-football, baseball, track, and crew-and also by the hockey team and the four freshman teams of the major sports.
November 20, 1909 - Fish Finishes At Harvard
Hamilton Fish '10, a two-time football All-American in an era when only 11 players earn the distinction, completes his Harvard career. The rugged 6-4, 200-pound tackle graduates cum laude in 1910 and rises to the rank of Major in the Fourth Division Infantry during World War I. From 1920 until 1946, he serves in the United States Congress as a representative from New York. He will attend Harvard football games for the next 81 years before passing away in 1991.
Spring 1910 - Gardner Garners 11 Letters
George Peabody Gardner '10 becomes the first Harvard man to be awarded 11 varsity letters. He receives three minor letters in tennis, three major letters each in hockey and track, one major letter in baseball, and a major H in lawn tennis for winning the Intercollegiate Singles title in 1907.
November 18, 1911 - Unbeaten Streak Starts
The Harvard football team, under the direction of legendary coach Percy Haughton, embarks on its school-record 33-game unbeaten streak with a 5-3 win over Dartmouth. The streak covers the entire 1912, 1913, and 1914 seasons and the first four games of 1915. Harvard wins the 1912 and 1913 national championships and defeats Yale four straight times during the streak.
April 9, 1912 - First At Fenway
Harvard plays in the first baseball game held at Fenway Park. The Crimson takes on the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition contest, and drops a 2-0 decision. Four years later, Harvard defeats the Red Sox, 1-0.
Fall 1912 - Cross Country Title
Just four years after the intercollegiate cross country championships begin, Harvard captures the national title.
Spring 1913 - Soccer Champions
Harvard wins the Intercollegiate Association Football [Soccer] League championship and four Crimson players make the All-American team. Harvard repeats as IAFL champs in the spring of 1914.
Spring 1914 - A Titanic Recovery
Just two years after surviving the tragedy on the Titanic, Richard N. Williams II '16 wins the U.S. collegiate and U.S. national singles championships. He later goes on to capture the 1920 doubles title at Wimbledon. Williams, who jumped off the sinking ship just before it capsized and then survived the night in the icy north Atlantic waters, had originally been told by doctors that his frozen legs needed to be amputated, but declared, "I'd rather die than not be able to play tennis again."
July 1914 - A Grand Performance
Harvard's junior varsity crew becomes the first American entry to win the Grand Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta, defeating Boston's Union Boat Club in what is called a "Yankee Grand Final." Future Massachusetts governor and U.S. Senator Leverett Saltonstall '14 is the Crimson's stroke. Coaching rules prevent the Harvard varsity from competing in the prestigious event.
Winter 1917 - Wrestler Pins Down Title
The Harvard wrestling team, in just its second year of existence, places second at the intercollegiate championships. Eugene L.C. Davidson '17 becomes Harvard's first individual national champion.
January 1, 1920 - Rose Bowl Victory
Harvard football wins the Rose Bowl! The Crimson edges Oregon, 7-6, in the Tournament of Roses contest at Pasadena to finish 9-0-1 and capture its last of seven national championships. Frederick C. Church '21 scores the Harvard touchdown and Arnold Horween '21 kicks the winning extra point.
Spring 1921 - Lightweight Crew Begins
Coach Bert Haines helps organize Harvard's first lightweight rowing team. Three years later, the Crimson defeats Yale and Princeton for the first time in a event now known as the Goldthwait Cup. The Cup is named in memory of Vincent B. Goldthwait '24, who drowned following his sophomore year at Harvard.
Spring 1921 - Tennis Takes Another Step
A combined Harvard/Yale tennis team defeats one from Oxford/Cambridge at Newport Casino. Four years later, the biennial international event is named the Prentice Cup, in honor of Bernon Prentice '05.
Spring 1921 - World Record Set
Edward O. "Ned" Gourdin '21 sets a world record with his long-jump of 25-feet, 3-inches in the Harvard/Yale vs. Oxford/Cambridge track meet. More than 75 years later, the mark still stands as a Harvard record.
Winter 1922 - Squash Makes A Racquet
Men's squash, arguably the most successful of all of Harvard's sports, makes its debut. Harry Cowles coaches the team for its first 16 seasons and leads the Crimson to five national titles while mentoring 13 individual champions.
Winter 1923 - First Women's Swimming Meet
Radcliffe College meets Sargent College in the first women's intercollegiate swim meet.
March 3, 1923 - The Night Hockey Changed Forever
Harvard head coach William H. Claflin and multi-sport letterman George Owen '23 change the game of hockey forever with their innovation of substituting entire forward lines instead of individuals. The revolutionary tactic, which becomes known as the shift change, helps Harvard defeat Yale, 2-1, in overtime.
April 12-13, 1923 - Fencing Fares Well
Twins Edward Lane '24 and Everett Lane '24 lead Harvard to its first of two straight intercollegiate fencing championships. The meet is held at the Grand Ballroom of New York's Hotel Astor.
Spring 1924 - Golf Great Coaches At Harvard
1923 U.S. Open champion Bobby Jones '24 serves as coach for the undefeated Harvard golf team. Jones, already a graduate of Georgia Tech, had enrolled at Harvard to pursue a bachelor of science degree. Although ineligible to compete for the Crimson, he is awarded a special "H" for his Open victory.
Winter 1924 - Wrestling Starts Title Run
Harvard captures its first of five straight New England Intercollegiate wrestling titles. Three team members win intercollegiate championships in 1924-George Karelitz '24 (145 pounds), Carl Stearns '26 (125 pounds), and Bernard Goldberg '26 (115 pounds).
January 1926 - First Athletic Director
The President and Fellows of Harvard College vote to establish the office of Director of Athletic Sports. William J. Bingham '16, a former Crimson track star and coach, becomes Harvard's first athletic director. During his 25-year tenure, he reduces alumni control over Harvard athletics, molds the school's modern athletic department, and develops an extensive intramural program. Harvard's outstanding male senior athlete award is named in Bingham's honor.
Winter 1928 - Hockey Hero
John Chase '28 completes his Harvard hockey career with a combined 24-6-2 varsity record, including six straight wins against arch-rival Yale. Chase goes on to captain the 1932 U.S. Olympic team, and coaches Harvard from 1942 until 1950.
Winter 1929 - Swim Program Recognized
Harold S. Ulen becomes Harvard's men's swimming coach. The program is formally recognized during the 1930-31 season. In 30 years of coaching, Ulen keeps Harvard at or near the top in Eastern swimming and completes his tenure with a 261-48 dual meet record.
Winter 1930 - Knockout Punch
Harvard enters the world of intercollegiate boxing in competition with MIT, Dartmouth, and Yale. Over a seven-year period, the Crimson posts an impressive 25-11-1 record for coaches Larry Conley and Henry N. Lamar period, before moving the sport to intramural status in 1937.
March 1, 1930 - World Record Relay
Harvard runners Vernon Munroe, Jr. '31, Francis E. Cummings '30, Vincent Hennessy '30, and Eugene E. Record '32 set an indoor world record in the mile relay at the IC4A Championships.
March 29, 1930 - Wrestling's First All-American
Joseph Solano placed third at the third annual NCAA Wrestling Tournament to become the program's first ever All-American. Solano defeated Jean Toncoff of Illinois in his first wrestleback before pinning George Belshaw of Indiana to reach the podium at 165 lbs.
Fall 1931 - Harriers Return To Winners' Circle
Harvard wins the IC4A men's cross country championship, the program's team title first since 1912.
Winter 1931 - Ski Team Gets Start
Lightweight rower Robert Livermore, Jr. '32 trades in his oar for ski poles and enters the Dartmouth Carnival. His victory in the slalom gives birth to the Harvard skiing program and the team receives offical status in 1934.
Winter 1932 - Olympic Medalist
Maribel Vinson '33 earns a bronze medal in skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, NY.
April 1932 - Rugby Recognized
The Harvard Athletic Association recognizes rugby as an informal sport. The decision allows the HAA to retain partial responsibility for the Club's behavior, but the eligibility rule is waived, allowing freshman and graduate students to compete, and the team is allowed to maintain its essential organization as a club.
June 25, 1932 - A Great Graduates
The collegiate athletic career of W. Barry Wood, Jr. '32, one of Harvard's greatest all-around athletes, comes to a close. Wood, an All-American quarterback who earns three letters each in football, hockey, and baseball, goes out a winner as the Crimson baseball team defeats Yale, 6-0, at Soldiers Field to complete a 16-6 campaign.
Winter 1933 - Most Outstanding Wrestler
135-pounder Patrick O. Johnson '33 recorded three technical falls en route to a third-place finish at the sixth annual NCAA Wrestling Tournament. Johnson was named Most Outstanding Wrestler for his performance, sharing the honor with Alan Kelley from Oklahoma State.
1930s and 1940s - The Depression Years
President James B. Conant establishes an Endowment Fund to help support the financially strapped Athletic Association. Freshman physical training expenses are transferred to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences budget. Most junior varsity sports are dropped and financial support for several varsity teams is withdrawn except for competition vs. Yale, causing students to bear the costs. Deficits continue through World War II and, in 1951, the Corporation makes the athletic department budget part of the budget for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, a move that brings athletics into the heart of the University.
Winter 1934 - Fencers Foil The Opposition
John G. Hurd '34 wins the national foil championship, and becomes Harvard's first men's fencing titlist of the 20th century. Meanwhile, Edward E. Langenau '35 and Webster F. Williams '35 team up to capture the team epee title.
Summer 1934 - Baseball Tour
Harvard's baseball team embarks on a 60-day tour to Honolulu, Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka. The Crimson plays well, winning 10 of the 15 games on the trip.
Winter 1936 - Swimming Star
Charles G. Hutter '38 becomes Harvard's first NCAA men's swimming champion with his win in the 100 freestyle. Months later, he wins a gold medal as a member of the U.S. 800-meter relay team at the Berlin Olympics.
Winter 1936 - A Terrific Tenure
John M. "Jack" Barnaby '32 is appointed the head coach of Harvard men's tennis and squash, and enjoys a tenure that lasts four decades. His two squads combine to win 717 matches while producing some of the greatest players of their day.
Fall 1938 - Soccer Goes Undefeated
Under the direction of former team captain John F. Carr '28, Harvard enjoys its first undefeated men's soccer season by going 8-0-1. Andrew "Poley" Guyda becomes the junior varsity and freshman coach, serving until his untimely death in 1956.
Winter 1938 - Kendall Claims A Pair
William E. "Digger" Kendall '40 is a two-event winner at the NCAA Swimming Men's Championships, emerging victorious in the 220 and 440 freestyle events. The Crimson places third as a team.
Winter 1938 - Squashing The Competition
Germain G. Glidden '38, whose gifts of speed and anticipation are legendary, wins his third straight national individual squash championship. Glidden also competes successfully for the men's tennis team.
Winter 1938 - NCAA Wrestling Champ
John C. Harkness '38 became Harvard wrestling's first NCAA national champion, and just its fourth All-American, when he defeated Oklahom's Marshall Word for the 175 lbs. title. Harkness, the Crimson captain that season, also won the EIWA title and was named the EIWA's Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Winter 1939 - Swimmer Overcomes Polio
In an uplifting story of overcoming adversity, Eric Cutler '40 recovers from polio to win the Eastern Intercollegiate Championship in the 440 freestyle.
July 1939 - Rowers Rule Henley
On the 25th anniversary of Harvard crew's first Henley Regatta triumph, the Crimson varsity wins the Grand Challenge Cup. The victory coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Henley Regatta.
May 1943 - World War II
Because of World War II, intercollegiate athletics at Harvard are conducted only on an informal basis. During the war, the University extends its Physical Training program, requiring at least four workouts per week by all undergraduates. Athletic Director Bill Bingham and a number of Harvard coaches enter the military services, and most of the school's training facilities are given over to the training of military personnel who are stationed at the University.
November 20, 1943 - A Tie For The Informals
Harvard's football "informals" complete a five-game schedule with a game against Boston College and over 45,000 fans pack the Stadium to see the teams battle to a 6-6 tie. The game is the first athletic competition between the schools in 24 years.
March 21, 1946 - The Big Dance
Harvard men's basketball makes the NCAA Tournament! The Crimson completes the regular season with a 19-1 record, a mark that includes a dramatic 39-37 win over arch-rival Yale. The 19 wins set a school-record.
October 11, 1947 - A Barrier Broken
Chester "Chet" Pierce '48, a standout tackle for the Harvard football team, becomes the first African-American to play against a white college in the South when the Crimson meets the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
Summer 1948 - Like Father, Like Son
The father-son tandem of Paul Smart '14 and Hilary Smart '47 wins a gold medal in sailing at the Olympic Games in London. The victory makes Paul the oldest American gold medal winner in Olympic history.
July 1950 - Crew Crowned Again...And Again
The Harvard men's heavyweight crew wins the Grand Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta for the third time. In 1959, the Crimson will capture its fourth Grand.
Winter 1951 - An All-Harvard Affair
Harvard men's squash finishes with an undefeated record and wins the national championship. Even the individual finals are an all-Harvard affair, with Henry Foster '51 defeating Charlie Ufford '53 for the crown. Ufford, also a soccer All-American and two-time tennis captain at Harvard, then goes on to capture the individual titles in his junior and senior years.
July 1, 1951 - New Athletic Director
Thomas D. Bolles G '37-41, the head coach of heavyweight crew, becomes Harvard's second Athletic Director. During his administration, the Ivy Group Agreement is signed and the League goals articulated.
Summer 1951 - Grappling With Greatness
John H. Lee Jr. '53 wins the 1951 National AAU wrestling championship in the 125-pound class. A two-time All-American, Lee becomes a Harvard assistant in 1956 and begins a 17-year tenure as the Crimson's head coach in 1968.
December 27, 1952 - Winning The First Beanpot
Harvard captures the inaugural Beanpot men's hockey tournament. The Crimson defeats Boston University, 7-4, in the championship game at the Boston Arena and team captain Walter F. Greeley '53 is named Tournament MVP.
Spring 1953 - Sailing To Success
Harvard wins its second straight national sailing championship, behind the brilliance of Charles S. Hoppin '53. The Crimson captures the national title again in 1959.
February 11, 1954 - Ivy League Formed
The Ivy Presidents extend the Ivy Group Agreement, which originally applied only to football, to all intercollegiate sports, signifying the official founding of The Ivy League. Their statement focuses on presidential governance of the League, the importance of intra-League competition, and a desire that recruited athletes be academically "representative" of each institution's overall student body. Although this is the League's official founding date, the first year of competition is 1956-57.
Winter 1955 - Cleary Clearly The Best
William J. Cleary '56 leads the nation in scoring with an amazing 89 points in just 21 games as Harvard makes its first NCAA Tournament appearance in men's ice hockey. More than six decades later, Cleary's point total still stands as the Harvard single-season record.
May 21, 1955 - A Day To Remember
Robert Rittenberg '55 has perhaps the greatest day ever for a Crimson men's track performer by winning four events and taking second in two others, scoring 26 points in a dual meet victory over Yale. Harvard needs every one to pull off a 70 1/3 to 69 2/3 victory against the favored Elis in New Haven.
February 1956 - Albright Gets The Gold
Tenley Albright '57 wins the gold medal in figure skating at the Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, after being a silver medalist four years earlier. At the same Games, William J. Cleary '56 stars for the silver-medal U.S. men's ice hockey team while Robert B. Ridder '41 is the hockey team manager.
Winter 1956 - A Man of Letters
David F. Hawkins '56 becomes the first Harvard athlete to earn four swimming letters before freshmen were made eligible for varsity competition. A member of the 1952 Australian Olympic Team, Hawkins comes to Harvard that fall and wins national AAU titles in both the 100-yard and 200-meter breaststroke, and is awarded a Major H for these triumphs. As a sophomore, Hawkins captures NCAA titles in the 100 and 200 butterfly and is joined on the winners' stand by H. Chouteau Dyer '57, the champion in the 100 freestyle.
July 1958 - Light-ing It Up
Harvard's men's lightweight crew wins its first of three straight Thames Challenge Cups at the Henley Royal Regatta. Crimson oarsmen will win the prestigious Cup again in 1966 and 1971.
September 24, 1958 - News & Views Debuts
The first issue of News & Views, the Harvard Varsity Club's newsletter on Crimson athletics, is published. Football coach John Yovicsin and team captain Robert T. Shaunessy '59 are pictured on the cover.
February 1960 - Helping U.S. Hockey To Gold
Four Harvard players are on the gold-medal winning U.S. men's ice hockey team at Squaw Valley, CA. Brothers William J. Cleary '56 and Robert B. Cleary '58 are joined by Robert P. McVey '58 and E. Robert Owen '58. The team captain is John "Jack" Kirrane, who later becomes known to the Harvard community as the manager of the Bright Hockey Center. The U.S. defeats Canada, Russia, and Czechoslavakia en route to the gold.
August 14, 1960 - The AFL Plays At Harvard
Harvard Stadium is the site for the first American Football League game ever played. An exhibition contest between the Boston Patriots and Dallas Texans is won by the visitors, 24-14, in front of a crowd of 11,000. The Patriots also will play their entire 1971 home schedule at Harvard before relocating in Foxborough.
May 20, 1961 - Lacrosse Comes Of Age
An 18-12 victory over Yale allows the Harvard men's lacrosse team to finish at 11-1-1, in a campaign that includes a school-record 10 straight victories and a ranking as high as seventh in the country. Two months following the season, Harvard's Faculty Committee on Athletic Sports elevates lacrosse to a major sport.
November 25, 1961 - Football Flags Down Ivy Crown
The Crimson football team, under the guidance of John Yovicsin, earns its first Ivy League championship. Harvard finishes 6-1 in the League after topping Yale, 27-0, in New Haven.
March 3, 1962 - Swimming Stuns Yale
Harvard defeats Yale, 48-47, its first men's swimming victory over the Elis in 24 years and just the second Yale loss in 220 meets. John Pringle '63 helps secure the upset with his wins in the 200 backstroke and the individual medley.
March 2, 1963 - Amazing Awori
Aggrey S. Awori '65 becomes the first person in Heptagonal track history to win three events. The Ugandian native wins the long jump, high hurdles, and 60-yard dash, tying the Heps record in the hurdles and setting the mark in the dash. He also runs on the victorious mile relay team which ties the Heptagonal record. By the time he graduates, Awori will hold three outdoor and five indoor school records.
Summer 1963 - Samborski Named To AD Post
Adolph W. Samborski '25, a former baseball player who developed and directed Harvard's intramural program for 35 years, is named the College's third Director of Athletics.
November 22,1963 - Two-Sport Standout
The soccer career of the legendary Christian L. Ohiri '64 comes to a close with a two-goal performance in a 3-2 victory over Yale. Ohiri, who set nearly every school and League scoring record possible, was an All-American who helped Harvard win one outright Ivy championship and share in two other crowns. He also stars for the Crimson men's track team and sets the school record in the triple jump at the 1964 IC4A's. The Harvard soccer fields are later named for Ohiri, a native of Nigeria who lost a battle with leukemia while attending graduate school.
February 7, 1964 - Basketball Tames Tigers
A sold-out crowd at the Indoor Athletic Building watches the Harvard men's basketball team stun the Bill Bradley-led Princeton Tigers, 88-82. Keith Sedlacek '66 (31 points) and Merle S. McClung '65 (30 points) star for the Crimson. Both Bradley and McClung go on to earn Rhodes Scholarships.
Winter 1964 - A Quick Study
Victor B. Niederhoffer '64, who arrived at Harvard having never played a game of squash, becomes a three-time All-American and completes his career by winning the intercollegiate championship as a senior.
August 1967 - Pan-American Champs
Harvard's men's heavyweight crew, which is in the midst of a five-year unbeaten streak and seven straight Eastern Sprints titles under legendary coach Harry Parker, wins the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg. Harvard follows that accomplishment with a silver medal at the World Championships in Vichy, France.
Fall 1967 - Cross Country Begins Run
Harvard's men's cross country team begins a 33-meet winning streak and claims its first of four straight Heptagonal Championships. James V. Baker '68 is a catalyst for the Crimson harriers who later in the year sets the school and New England record in the mile (4:00.2), a mark that stands until 1985.
May 13, 1968 - Golfers Gain EIGA Crown
Harvard wins its first EIGA men's golf championship on the strength of the play of Robert D. Keefe '68 and Robert B. "Yank" Heisler '70.
Summer 1968 - Rowers Represent United States
A spectacular sprint to the finish earns the Harvard men's heavyweight crew victory at the U.S. Olympic Trials and the right to represent the United States at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. The Crimson places sixth at the Games.
November 23, 1968 - The Game of Games
Harvard wins, 29-29! By scoring 16 points in the game's final 42 seconds, the Harvard football team rallies dramatically against Yale, allowing both teams to finish 8-0-1 and share the Ivy League championship. It marks Harvard's first undefeated campaign since 1920. The Crimson has six First Team All-League players: safety Patrick A. Conway '69, linebacker John C. Emery '69, halfback Victor E. Gatto '69, defensive end Peter E. Hall '69, punter Gary L. Singleterry '70, and future Hollywood star Tommy Lee Jones '69 at left guard.
November 21, 1969 - Soccer Strings Together A Perfect Season
Two-time All-America Christopher A. Wilmot '72 and Ivy scoring leader Solomon Gomez '71 help the Harvard men's soccer team to its first perfect regular-season record (12-0) with a 3-0 win at Yale. This is the start to perhaps the most successful three-year period in program history, as the class of '72 graduates with a 39-4 overall mark and a phenomenal 32-1 regular season record.
Winter 1969 - Fantastic Fencers
Tremendous depth carries the Harvard men's fencing team to a second place at the NCAA championships. Geza P. Tatrallyay '71 (epee), Lawrence G. Cetrulo '71 (sabre), and three-time All-American Thomas C. Keller '71 (foil) are the team's stars.
January 13, 1970 - From Dean To Director
Bob Watson '37, a Harvard dean since 1946, is named the College's fourth director of athletics. During his seven-year tenure, many of Radcliffe's athletic teams begin competing under the Harvard banner.
Fall 1970-Women's Crew...Off And Rowing
The Radcliffe crew program is officially born when Martha D. McDaniel '74 teaches herself to row and then gathers several of her schoolmates to form a team. Their progress is phenomenal and, just two years later, Radcliffe wins the National Championship and represents the United States at the World Championships in Moscow.
March 20, 1971 - Cooney's Last Stand
The legendary Ralph "Cooney" Weiland coaches his final game after 21 years at the helm of Harvard's men's hockey program. He directs the Crimson to 315 victories, eight Ivy League championships, and five NCAA appearances. Harvard wins the ECAC title in Weiland's final season behind the bench, partly because of the stellar play of team captain Joseph V. Cavanagh, Jr. '71, the first three-time All-American in program history.
Spring 1971 - Sailing Standout
Robert E. "Robby" Doyle '71, a 1968 Olympian and one of Harvard's greatest sailors, graduates. Doyle is a three-time All-American and three-time New England single-handed champion. As a junior, he wins the North American single-handed championship.
June 11, 1971 - World Series Win
Harvard wins its first-ever College World Series game, defeating Brigham Young, 4-1. Pitcher William V. Kelly '71, whose two-hitter against Cornell had secured the EIBL title just weeks earlier, shuts down the Cougars on four hits.
Spring 1971 - The "Superboat"
Harvard's lightweight crew is appropriately dubbed the "Superboat." The Crimson sweeps through its dual season, winning races by an average of 17 seconds, and is an easy victor at the Eastern Sprints. The crew even competes at the Pan American Game trials-against the nation's top heavyweight eights-and makes the Grand Finals. At Henley, the lightweights are a double winner, capturing the Thames Cup in an eight-oared boat and the Wyfold Challenge Cup in a four.
February 1973 - Awesome Alpiner
Benjamin B. Steele '74 becomes Harvard first skier to win the EISA Alpine combined championship, and his margin of victory of a second and half is nearly unprecedented. Steele goes on to become a two-time NCAA qualifier.
Winter 1974 - Women's Swimming Makes The Switch
After existing on an informal basis for five decades, women's swimming begins competing under the auspices of Harvard's Department of Athletics. The swimmers are coached by Alice McCabe, who had taken charge of the Radcliffe swimming program in 1961.
Winter 1974 - Women's Squash Introduced
Women's squash is introduced as a varsity sport. After a 7-7 mark in its first season, the Crimson quickly improves to 8-4 and 11-2 and finds itself ranking among the nation's best, a standard that continues to this day.
February 1974 - A Fencing First
With Eugene N. White '74 starring in epee, Harvard captures its first Ivy League fencing championship.
May 1974 - Win Inaugural Ivy Title
Radcliffe's heavyweight crew wins the Eastern Sprints title, an event regarded as the first Ivy women's championship. The Black and White, which also won the "Eastern" title in 1973, successfully defends its Sprints crown one year later.
June 14, 1974 - Sailors Stand Out
With former great Michael S. Horn '63 later the team's coach, Harvard wins the national sailing championship for the first time in 15 years. All-Americans Taylor E. Neff '76-7 and Chris S. Middendorf '74 are the squad's standouts.
June 1974 - Rude, Smooth, and Victorious
The famed "Rude and Smooth" crew overwhelms all of its regular season opponents and goes on to win its first of two unofficial national championships by defeating IRA winner Wisconsin and Pac-10 titlist Washington.
September 1974 - Field Hockey Redux
Nearly 75 years after being introduced on the Radcliffe campus, Harvard field hockey begins formal play. Success is quick to arrive: in 1976, the Crimson goes an impressive 11-1-2.
November 23, 1974 - Football Drives To Ivy Crown
Harvard captures its first of five Ivy titles under head coach Joe Restic. Quarterback Milton A. "Pineapple" Holt '75 leads the Crimson on a 95-yard touchdown drive over the game's final five minutes for a 21-16 victory over Yale at the Stadium. Another standout is Patrick J. McInally '75, a split-end/punter who has a long career with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Winter 1975 - Embree Outjumps Stones
High-jumper Melvyn C. "Wayne" Embree '76 makes national headlines when he defeats world-record holder Dwight Stones at the Millrose Games. It's all part of a spectacular career for Embree, which includes three outdoor and two indoor Heptagonal titles and the 1976 indoor and outdoor IC4A titles. He also serves as an alternate for the 1976 U.S. Olympic Team.
April 20, 1975 - Vik-tory For Golfers
Harvard wins its first Ivy League golf championship. The star is Alexander M. Vik '78, a native of Spain who becomes a two-time Ivy League and Greater Boston individual champion.
Spring 1975 - First Female Letterwinners
After merging athletic departments with Radcliffe College, Harvard presents varsity letters to female athletes for the first time.
November 22, 1975 - Outright Champs
Harvard wins its first outright Ivy League football championship! Place-kicker Michael J. Lynch '77 boots a 26-yard field goal in the final seconds to deliver the 10-7 victory over Yale in New Haven. The Crimson captain is Danny M. Jiggetts '76, later a star with the NFL's Chicago Bears. Both Lynch and Jiggetts then go on to successful sports broadcasting careers.
Winter 1976 - First Female Rhodes Recipient
Alison Muscatine '76, a member of the Crimson's women's basketball and tennis teams, becomes the first female letter-winner in the nation to earn a Rhodes Scholarship. Her Harvard roommate, Denise A. Thal '77, also a basketball and tennis letter-winner, receives a Rhodes one year later.
Spring 1976 - Right On Track
Born in 1975 as a club team, Harvard elevates women's track and field and cross country to varsity status and appoints Robert "Pappy" Hunt head coach. His first two full squads sweep the Great Boston and Ivy League championships.
September 13, 1977 - Early Management Training
John P. "Jack" Reardon '60, who managed the football team as an undergraduate, is named Harvard's fifth Director of Athletics. He holds the position for 13 years-presiding over the complete overhaul of Harvard's athletic facilities and the full implementation of women's sports-until becoming Executive Director of the Harvard Alumni Association.
November 11, 1977 - Cross Country...And Beyond
Harvard wins the first Ivy League women's cross country championship. Among the harriers is Judy Rabinowitz '80, who becomes a world-class cross country skier and competes for the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team in Sarajevo.
November 1977 - Another Squad Laces 'em Up
A collection of undergraduates form a club women's hockey team under the tutelage of former men's goalkeeper Joseph D. Bertagna '73. One year later the sport attains varsity status and in 1981 wins its first Beanpot crown.
Fall 1978 - No Women's Team? No Problem
Without a women's team to play on, Leslie E. Greis '80 earns a spot on Harvard's men's golf squad and goes on to receive three varsity letters. She wins the 1979 Massachusetts women's intercollegiate title. Greis also letters for two years in basketball...on the women's team.
November 3, 1979 - Women Sock It To Brown
Harvard captures its second straight Ivy League women's soccer championship, defeating Brown, 5-1, in the title game. The team began competing at a club level in 1976 and made varsity status one year later.
February 10, 1980 - Surprise, Surprise
The Harvard men's swimming and diving team shocks visiting Indiana, which rode a 140-meet winning streak into Cambridge. The Crimson captures 10 of 11 swimming events held on the day and rolls to a 67-46 victory over the Hoosiers.
March 1, 1980 - Beckford The Best
Darlene F. Beckford '83 sets a national collegiate record in the mile with her time of 4:32.3 at the Eastern Championships, which were held in Gordon Track. During her career, Beckford, a Cambridge native, sets eight individual school records, runs on two record-setting relay teams, and earns All-American status in both field hockey and track.
March 27-29, 1980 - Host NCAA Championships
Harvard's Blodgett Pool hosts the 57th-annual NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. Robert W. Hackett '81, a silver medalist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, shines at the event, placing third in the 1650, fifth in the 500, and seventh in the 200 freestyle. Overall, Harvard finishes 16th. By the time Hackett graduates in 1981, he will have set eight University records, earned 12 All-American selections, and won 10 Eastern Seaboard titles.
Spring 1980 - Lacrosse Earns First NCAA Berth
The Harvard men's lacrosse team wins the Ivy League championship and earns its first berth to the NCAA Tournament. Among the key victories is a 12-8 upset of Cornell, the Crimson's first win over the Big Red in 11 seasons. Goalkeeper John A. Lechner '80 makes 24 saves in the victory.
June 7, 1980 - Rowers Rout Yale
The Harvard men's heavyweight crew defeats Yale for the 18th straight time, winning the four-mile downstream race on the Thames River with a course-record time of 18:22.4. It is the longest winning streak in the fabled series.
Summer 1980 - Hart Makes History
Ellen M. Hart '80 becomes Harvard's first female track Olympian. Her third-place showing in the 10,000 meters at the Olympic Trials earns her a spot on the Olympic team that doesn't compete in Moscow because of the U.S. boycott. Back in her college days, Hart also lettered in soccer and basketball.
Fall 1980 - Another Sport Makes A Splash
The men's water polo team has its first season of action and NCAA runner-up UCLA is on the Crimson's schedule. Although the Bruins win this contest, 29-5, Harvard goes an impressive 8-3 against New England competition.
February 22, 1981 - An American Record
Adam P. Dixon '82, two years after distinguishing himself as the first freshman track All-America in Harvard history, shatters the American indoor record in the 1,000 meters with his time of 2:19.80.
March 1981 - First In 50 Years
For the first time in 50 years, Harvard men's fencing wins the IFA foil title. Key performers are All-Ivy selections David R. Merner '83 and L. Dave Hanower '81. Future Rhodes Scholar Stanlake M. Samkange '82 also letters for the squad.
Spring 1981 - A 17-0 Season
Co-captains Christine A. Sailer '81 and Ann E. Velie '81 team up with younger standouts Francesca S. Den Hartog '83 and Maureen Ann Finn '83 to lead Harvard's women's lacrosse team to an unblemished 17-0 regular season record and an appearance in the AIAW Championships.
May 1981 - Serving Up Some Honors
Howard G. Sands '83 earns his first of three NCAA All-America honors in singles. In 1982, Sands is also an All-American in doubles, teaming with Adam E. Beren '83.
Fall 1981 - A Net Success
Women's volleyball makes its debuts as a varsity sport and finishes 12-5 under head coach Karyn Altman.
Fall 1981 - Frosh Fuel Women's Soccer
Five Harvard players-all freshmen-are on the All-Ivy women's soccer team. Their placement is well justified, as the Crimson goes 17-2, and wins both the Ivy and Eastern AIAW championship. Two of those freshmen, Jennifer Greeley '85 and Kelly Ann Landry '85, are named to the All-Ivy team four straight years.
Spring 1982 - Spikers Succeed
In just its second year of varsity competition, Harvard's men's volleyball team wins the Ivy Championship. David L. Twite '84 is the Tournament MVP. The Crimson repeats as Ivy champs in 1985.
May 8, 1982 - A Legend Steps Down
William W. McCurdy, known to his athletes as a teacher, taskmaster, psychologist, and friend, steps down after 30 years as Harvard's head track and field coach. In a fitting end to his tenure, the Crimson defeats Northeastern, 86-77, for career coaching victory number 445. Harvard dedicates its outdoor track in McCurdy's name in 1985.
August 28, 1982 - Crossing The English Channel
Former women's swimming captain Sharon Beckman '80 becomes the first New England woman to conquer the English Channel. She crosses from the White Cliffs of Dover, England to Cap Gris Nez, France in 9 hours, 16 minutes.
Fall 1982 - Field Hockey Phenom
Kathryn Ann Martin '83 completed a stellar field hockey career by being named first-team All-Ivy for a third time. She graduated as Harvard's all-time leader in goals (33) and points (78). Martin, who in 1995 will become the first female elected president of the Harvard Varsity Club, also letters for the Crimson in basketball and lacrosse.
November 22, 1982 - Fourth In The Nation
Harvard placed fourth at the NCAA women's cross country championships, at the time the highest finish ever by an Ivy school. Kate M. Wiley '85 was the first Crimson harrier across the finish line, placing seventh overall.
March 12, 1983 - Wrestling All-American
Andrew P. McNerney '83, competing in the 142-pound class, earned All-American honors with his fourth-place showing at the NCAA wrestling championships.
March 1983 - Hobey Honoree
Mark Fusco '83 won the Hobey Baker Award, presented to the nation's outstanding men's collegiate hockey player. His play helped put Harvard into the NCAA finals for the first time in school history. Young brother Scott Fusco '86 duplicated his brother's "Hobey" feat three years later when the Crimson again advanced to the NCAA championship game.
June 1983 - Cruising To National Title
Harvard men's heavyweight crew won its first of six Cincinnati Regattas, an event which crowned the sport's national champion from 1982 until 1994. The Crimson captured the Regatta again in 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1992.
November 19, 1983 - A Grand Game
It's the 100th edition of "The Game" and Harvard came out on top, taking a 16-7 win over Yale in New Haven to earn a share of the Ivy League title for the second straight year.
February 1984 - Medals At Handicapped Olympics
Bonnie St. John '86 won two bronze medals-in the slalom and giant slalom-as a member of the U.S. Handicapped Olympic Ski Team, and received a silver medal for her overall ranking as the second-fastest woman handicapped skier in the world. Two years later, St. John received a Rhodes Scholarship.
Winter 1984 - Men's Basketball Sets NCAA Mark
Harvard set an NCAA men's basketball record for team free throw percentage. The Crimson shot 82.2 percent from the line, making 535 of 651 attempts.
March 14, 1984 - 40th Varsity Team Introduced
Harvard introduced its 40th varsity sport in fine fashion, as women's water polo trounced Boston College, 22-0.
May 19, 1984 - Women's Tennis Firsts
In the same season the Harvard women's tennis team made its first appearance in the NCAAs, Elizabeth Evans '85 and Robin L. Boss '87 became the program's first All-Americans. Evans repeated the feat in 1985.
July 29-Aug. 3, 1984 - Olympic Soccer At The Stadium
Harvard Stadium hosted Olympic soccer. Cameroon, Canada, Chile, France, Iraq, Norway, and Qatar all competed in a series of matches all played before capacity crowds. It was the first time soccer had been played in the Stadium.
October 28, 1984 - Wiley Wins Again
Kate M. Wiley '85 became the first three-time winner at the Heptagonal cross country championships.
February 1985 - Squash Stands On Top
Mary W. Hulbert '85 won the WISRA individual national championship, becoming Harvard's first such titlist. Her play helped the Crimson women capture the Ivy, WISRA, and Howe Cup team crowns.
April 20, 1985 - No-Hitter
Future major-leaguer Jeff Musselman '85 threw a no-hitter as the Harvard baseball team defeated Pennsylvania, 2-1, at Soldiers Field.
Spring 1985 - Hot-Hitter
Harvard had the nation's hottest hitter, as Mary Baldauf '88 batted .488 to lead all of Division I softball.
May 11, 1985 - The Four-Minute Mile
Harvard's Clifford J. Sheehan '85 became the first New England collegian to break the four-minute mile, running a 3:59.2 at the Penn Relays. He bettered a 17-year-old Harvard and New England record.
Summer 1985 - A Grand Slam
Harvard's men's heavyweight crew earned the "Grand Slam" with the Eastern Sprints title, a victory over Yale, the national championship, and the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley. The crew's stroke was Andrew H. Sudduth '85, a 1984 Olympic silver medalist who then went on to place second at the World Sculling Championships.
February 1986 - An Unprecedented Eighth
The Harvard men's swimming and diving team won an unprecedented eighth straight Eastern Championship.
March 2, 1986 - Atop The Ivies
A 75-66 victory over Dartmouth gained Harvard its first Ivy League women's basketball title as well as its first 20-win season in program history. One of the stars for the 20-7 Crimson was Barbaraan Keffer '88, a first-team All-Ivy selection.
February 1987 - Skaters Waltz
Harvard captured its first of three straight Ivy League women's ice hockey championships and established a program record for victories (19). Charlotte Joslin '90 collected 51 points (26 goals, 25 assists) in only 23 games.
March 1987 - Aqua All-American
Mia C. Costello '90 became the first individual All-American in women's swimming history, gaining the honor in the 200 breaststroke. In 1988, she was an All-American in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke after sparking the Crimson to its first-ever Eastern Championship.
March 15, 1987 - O'Neill Outstanding
James E. O'Neill '88 became Harvard's first NCAA epee fencing champion in the Tournament's 47-year history.
May 17, 1987 - A Boatload of Olympians
Radcliffe's varsity heavyweight eight completed an undefeated season with a victory at the Eastern Championships, earning them the title of Ivy Champions as well. It was no wonder that the crew had such success, as six of the boat's eight rowers went on to compete in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games.
Summer 1987 - Have Boat, Will Travel
After an undefeated dual season and another national championship, the men's varsity heavyweight eight enjoyed an eventful summer. Harvard placed first in the Victoria Boatrace, raced the Canadian National Team at Henley, and represented the United States for the first time ever in the World University Games in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
November 21, 1987 - Gridders Gain Another Ivy Crown
Quarterback Thomas J. Yohe '89 completed a record-breaking season by leading the Crimson football team to a 14-10 win over Yale and the undisputed Ivy League championship. Yohe set single-season marks for attempts (321), completions (158), touchdowns (17), and yards (2,134). Harvard finished 8-2 overall and 6-1 in the Ivy League.
November 29, 1987 - Men's Soccer In Semifinals
The Harvard men's soccer team blanked Adelphi, 3-0, to move into the NCAA semifinals for the second straight season. The Crimson, in the midst of six consecutive winning campaigns, finished the fall with an outstanding 14-1-3 mark.
May 15, 1988 - All-Around All-Star
Charlotte R. Joslin '90 became the first female athlete in Ivy League history to be named first-team all-league in three unrelated sports. Just a sophomore at the time, Joslin earned the honors in field hockey, ice hockey, and lacrosse. She will finished her career with 12 varsity letters.
December 12, 1988 - Hats-Off Performance
C.J. Young III '90 scored the fastest three goals in Harvard men's hockey history, collecting a hat-trick in a span of 49 seconds during the Crimson's 10-0 win over Dartmouth. Even more amazing is that all three goals were short-handed.
March 1989 - Berkoff The Best
One year after winning a silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, David Berkoff '89 captured his second NCAA title in the 100 backstroke. He took the event by swimming a school-record time of 47.02.
April 1, 1989 - NCAA Champions
The Harvard men's ice hockey team captured the NCAA title with a 4-3 overtime victory over Minnesota in the championship game. The team's catalyst was Lane MacDonald '89, who was chosen the Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in college hockey.
April 3, 1989 - Fancy Fencing
A school-record 19-win season for the Harvard women's fencing team was capped off with a seventh-place showing at the NCAA Championships.
June 2, 1989 - Rainey Reigns At NCAAs
Meredith L. Rainey '90 became the first female in Ivy League history to win an NCAA individual title in any sport. She ran a school-record time of 2:03.90 to take first place in the 800 meters at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Provo, UT.
June 17, 1989 - Three-Peat
Harvard men's heavyweight crew captured its third straight national championship with a one-length victory over Washington at the Cincinnati Regatta.
Spring 1989 - Simply Perfect
The Radcliffe heavyweight crew enjoyed a 5-0 dual season and won the Redwood Shores Regatta and Eastern Sprints championship. The reward was a trip to the women's Henley Regatta in England, where the Black and White took the Open Eight Championship.
April 1, 1990 - Cleary Becomes Athletic Director
Exactly one year to the day after coaching Harvard men's hockey to the NCAA Championship, William J. Cleary '56 formally started his tenure as Director of Athletics. Cleary headed the hockey program for 19 seasons, won 324 games, and took the Crimson to the Final Four on seven occasions.
May 4, 1990 - Seven Straight
Harvard women's tennis won an unprecedented seventh-straight Ivy League championship.
May 20, 1990 - NCAA Champions!
The women's lacrosse team capped a perfect 15-0 season with an 8-7 come-from-behind win over Maryland in the finals of the NCAA Championships. Three Crimson players-Charlotte R. Joslin '90, Ann M. Vaughan '90, and Julia W. French '90-were chosen first-team All-Americans.
July 1990 - Crew Up To The Challenge
Following an undefeated regular season and a second-place finish at Nationals, Harvard men's heavyweight eight won the Ladies Challenge Plate over Wisconsin at the Henley Royal Regatta.
June 22, 1991 - International Diplomacy
Harvard Stadium hosted the first Japanese collegiate football game ever played in the United States. Keio University, coached by the Harvard football staff, defeated Yale-led Waseda University, 21-19.
Fall 1991 - Fantastic Field Hockey Season
It was quite a season for Harvard field hockey. The Crimson won its seconds straight Ivy League title, captured the ECAC Championship, and made its first NCAA appearance. Starring for the squad was Ivy Player of the Year and All-American selection Carroll N. Clark '92.
February 14, 1992 - Wylie Wins The Silver
Paul Wylie '91 surprised the skating world by winning the silver medal in figure skating at the Olympic Games in Albertville. Later in the year, he was named the recipient of the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award in recognition of his performance at the Games and his decade-long association with the Jimmy Fund.
February 22, 1992 - Four Out of Five Is Very Good
The women's swimming and diving team dominated the field to win its fourth Eastern Championship in five years. Future team head coach Stephanie Wriede '92 was named the meet's Outstanding Swimmer after winning several events and breaking the Eastern record in the 200 individual medley.
March 1, 1992 - All In The Family
The brother-sister combination of Jeremy D. Fraiberg '92 and Jordanna R. Fraiberg '94 won national individual squash championships on the same day! Jeremy defeated teammate Adrian Ezra '94 in five games, while Jordanna scored a four-game victory against a Yale opponent. Harvard also won the men's and women's team championships.
May 15, 1992 - Tennis Triumph
The Harvard men's tennis team won its first NCAA tournament match by defeating Drake, 5-2. The Crimson finished the season 21-7 overall and with a perfect 9-0 mark in the EITA.
May 17, 1992 - Oh, So Close
The Harvard women's lacrosse team's bid for a second NCAA Championship in three seasons came up just short as Maryland escapes with an 11-10 overtime victory in the title game. The Crimson still finished 14-2 overall, with both losses coming in OT.
June 13, 1992 - Let's Go To The Videotape
Harvard won its sixth national title in dramatic fashion, edging a heavily-favored Dartmouth crew by inches at the finish line. The Crimson was clocked in a course-record 5:33.97. Several television replays were needed to confirm the result.
September 1992 - Rowing Breakthrough
Anna B. Seaton '86 became the first Radcliffe rower to medal at the Olympics, earning a bronze in the pair without coxswain at the Barcelona Games. Four years later in Atlanta, Lindsay H. Burns '87 was a silver-medalist in lightweight double sculls.
March 1993-Trotman Touted
Sailing standout Julia L. Trotman '89 was selected U.S. Yachtswoman of the Year. At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Trotman earned the bronze medal in the Europe Dinghy Class and, earlier in the year, won the U.S. single-handed championship. While at Harvard, Trotman was a three-time recipient of the Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association's Outstanding Women's Sailor Award.
April 18, 1993 - A Baseball Believe It or Not
One day after pitching five innings right-handed to lead the Harvard baseball team past Yale, 16-7, James G. Irving '95 turned around and threw a complete game left-handed to defeat the Elis, 4-3. The story generated national attention, including a feature in Sports Illustrated. Against Boston College in his freshman year, Irving pitched right and left-handed in the same game.
Fall 1993 - The Youngest At The Oldest - Harvard's 41st Varsity Sport
Women's golf became the youngest sport at the country's oldest school, as it was introduced as the 41st varsity sport at Harvard.
November 12, 1993 - A Freshman Farewell
Harvard played its final game of freshman football as the Yardlings close out a 5-1 campaign by defeating Tufts, 45-0. The 1993 season also marked the final one for head coach Joe Restic, who retired after 23 years in Cambridge.
March 6, 1994 - Nobody Is Better Than Ezra
Adrian Ezra '94 concluded an amazing men's squash career that includes four straight wide-court national championships and three narrow-court titles. Harvard also won three national team titles during Ezra's college career.
March 26, 1994 - Sharp Season For Skaters
The Harvard men's ice hockey team defeated New Hampshire, 7-1, to advance to the NCAA semifinals. The Crimson finished the year an impressive 24-5-4 and wins the ECAC Tournament championship for the first time since 1987.
May 12, 1994 - On The National Stage
Harvard's women's water polo team capped a most successful season by making its second-ever appearance at the National Championships.
October 15, 1994 - Sure Shots
The Harvard men's golf team, in its first ECAC appearance in four years, took the field by surprise and won the team championship with an 11-stroke victory over runner-up Central Connecticut.
June 1995 - Not Light On Success
The Harvard and Radcliffe lightweight crews continued their dominance of the 90s by each winning National Championships. For both crews, it was their third title of the decade.
November 4, 1995 - Women's Soccer Crown
With first-team All-American Emily Stauffer '99 showing the way, Harvard won its first Ivy League women's soccer title in 14 years by defeating Brown, 1-0. The Crimson finished 14-2-1. Harvard repeated as Ivy champions in 1996 and made the NCAAs.
Fall 1996 - Booters Gain Bragging Rights
Harvard returned to the top of the Ivy League in men's soccer, then advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind win over Boston University. The Crimson's final record stood at 16-2, setting a school record for victories. During the season, Harvard won 15 straight matches.
February 1997 - Six Straight National Titles
Harvard women's squash went undefeated and captured its sixth consecutive national championship. Among the team's standouts was Ivy C. Pochoda '98, a four-time All-American who went on to win the WISRA singles title as a senior.
March 1, 1997 - Cagers Click
On the strength of a 71-47 win at Brown, the Harvard men's basketball team finished 17-9 overall and recorded its highest victory total in 51 seasons. The Crimson's 16 Division I victories are a school record.
March 29, 1997 - A Great Exhibition
Harvard football plays an exhibition game against Kyoto University, after accepting an invitation to help celebrate the Japanese school's 100th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of its football club. The teams engage in an exciting match-up in front of 16,000 fans, with the Crimson pulling out a 42-35 victory.
May 10, 1997 - Netters Rally To Victory
The men's tennis team rallies for a dramatic 4-3 victory over Miami in the second round of the NCAA Regionals. The win helps the Crimson gain a second straight appearance in the Tournament's "Sweet 16." Milton H. "Mitty" Arnold '97 and Thomas J. Blake '98 advance to the semifinals in the NCAA doubles tournament, the best finish by a Harvard duo in 70 years, and earn All-American honors for their efforts.
May 22, 1997 - Baseball Stuns UCLA
Making its first NCAA appearance in 13 years, the Harvard baseball team shocks fourth-ranked UCLA, 7-2, in the first round of the Tournament. Francis O. "Frank" Hogan '97, the Ivy League Pitcher of the Year who earlier in the season defeated nationally-ranked Miami, goes eight strong innings to gain the victory. The Crimson completes the season ranked 27th in the nation.
May 31, 1997 - Champions Again
Racing on the same day on the Cooper River in Camden, NJ, the Radcliffe lightweight crew wins its third straight national championship while the men claim their fourth title in seven years.
November 22, 1997 - Fabulous Football Season
Harvard's football team dominates the Ivy League and goes 9-1 (7-0 Ivy) while capturing its third outright League championship. The team's 301 points are its most scored in this century.
November 23, 1997 - Soccer Makes NCAA Quarterfinals
The Harvard women's soccer team defeats George Mason, 2-1, in the second round of the NCAA Championships. In the quarterfinals, the Crimson gives eventual national champion North Carolina all it can handle before falling, 1-0.
February 4, 1998 - Stunning Streaks
The men's squash team extends its winning streak to 89 games over seven seasons before finally falling. The Crimson rebounds two weeks later to defeat Trinity and win the National Championship. Also in February, the Harvard women's squash team runs its winning streak to 59 matches before losing.
February 14, 1998 - Feaster Feasts
Allison S. Feaster '98 hits the record books! The Crimson's women's basketball superstar becomes just the second player in Ivy League history to have more than 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds (Bill Bradley was the first). Feaster goes on to be selected Ivy Player of the Year for the third straight season, and becomes the League's first-ever Kodak All-American.
February 1998 - Crimson Golden At Olympics
The gold medal-winning Olympic women's ice hockey team has a distinct Harvard flavor. Sandra L. Whyte '92 and Allison J. "A.J." Mleczko '99 are the stars on the ice, while Benjamin A. Smith III '68 is the squad's head coach. Whyte tallies a goal and an assist in the championship game win over Canada.
March 14, 1998 - Basketball History
A national television audience looked on as the Harvard women's basketball team stuns Stanford, 71-67, in the first round of the NCAA Championships behind 35 points and 13 rebounds from Allison S. Feaster '98. The Crimson became the first 16-seed to ever defeat a top-seed in either the men's or women's Tournament. Harvard finished the season with a school-record 23 victories.
March 28, 1998 - Swimmers 11th at NCAAs
It's a year to remember for Harvard men's swimming! The Crimson placed 11th at the NCAA Championships and Michael Kiedel '98 established himself as one of the program's all-time greats. Kiedel took third in the 200 free in 1:34.94 and fifth in the 500 free in 4:19.30. Both times established school records. He was also a member of the 400 and 800 free relay teams that are fifth and third, respectively, and set school marks.
April 28, 1998 - Softball Seals Ivy Crown
Harvard's softball team clinched its first Ivy League championship with a sweep of Cornell and becomes just the second squad to go undefeated in League play. One day later, Natasha R. Cupp '98, the school's single-season and career strikeout leader, threw a perfect game as the Crimson defeated Rhode Island, 3-0. In May, Harvard made its first NCAA appearance.
July 4, 1998 - Another Henley Happening
Harvard men's heavyweight crew returned to the winners' circle at the Henley Royal Regatta after capturing the Ladies Challenge Plate with a victory over Cambridge in the finals. The title completed a great year for the oarsmen, which includes a 5-0 dual mark.
March 27, 1999 - Thirty Straight Wins and a National Banner
Harvard women's ice hockey took the National Championship by defeating New Hampshire, 6-5, in the title game. The Crimson finished the year 33-1, which included 30 straight wins to close out the season.
June 5, 2001 - NCAA Titles for Tracksters
Brenda Taylor '01 completed a tremendous year for Crimson track and field by winning the NCAA title in the 400-meter hurdles. Dora Gyorffy '01 was the NCAA outdoor high jump champion and Kart Siilats '02 won the NCAA indoor high jump title.
July 16, 2001 - A New Era for Harvard Athletics
Bob Scalise MBA '89 was named the John D. Nichols '53 Family Director of Athletics in July of 2001, sheparding in a new era of academic and athletic success for Harvard's varsity, club, intramural, and recreation programs. A lacrosse All-American at Brown, Scalise previously served 12 seasons as the head coach of Harvard's men's lacrosse program, guiding it to an Ivy League championship in 1980. Scalise was also the first head coach in Harvard women's soccer history, leading that program to three Ivy titles and becoming the nation's first women's collegiate soccer coach to amass 100 victories.
November 17, 2001 - A Perfect Finish
Harvard football stopped Yale, 35-23, in front of 52,000 fans at the Bowl to win the outright Ivy title and finish 9-0, clinching the program's first perfect season since 1913.
June 8, 2002 - Sesquicentennial Success
In the 150th anniversary of the nation's first intercollegiate athletic event, Harvard heavyweight crew swept Yale in a three-race regatta and took the featured varsity contest by better than 40 seconds.
July 7, 2002 - A Royal Romp at Henley
Harvard men's heavyweight crew does what no non-English crew has ever done before...win three titles at the Henley Royal Regatta. The Crimson varsity claimed the Ladies' Challenge Plate, a four-man crew made up of JV oarsmen wins the Britannia Cup, and the freshmen were the champions in the Temple Cup. Crimson senior Graham O'Donoghue accomplished the rare feat of winning two medals on the day, stroking both the JV and frosh to titles.
May 31-June 1, 2003 - An Epic Weekend For Crew
An amazing weekend for Harvard-Radcliffe crews ended with three national championships in a two-day span. The men's heavyweight and lightweight crews took first-place showings at the IRA Championships, while the Radcliffe heavyweights capped its greatest season in the 31-year history of the program with the NCAA championship.
March 20, 2004 - Mission Accomplished
Jesse Jantzen '04 won Harvard's first individual NCAA wrestling championship in 66 years when he captured the 149-pound title on national television. Jantzen was named the most outstanding wrestler of the NCAA tournament, etching his name among those of the legendary Dan Gable and Cael Sanderson. Jantzen's cheering section in St. Louis included John Harkness '38, the other Harvard wrestler to have won a national title.
June 5, 2004 - Never Tested
Harvard's men's heavyweight crew completed what might be its best season in school history as the Crimson rolled to its second straight national championship with an open-water win at the IRA regatta. The usually understated Harry Parker noted of his varsity's performance, "It was a strong row, I would even say a dominant performance."
November 12, 2004 - Another First
Nilly Schweitzer racked up a match-high 14 kills, Kaego Ogbechie added 12 kills and Kim Gould notched 26 assists and 17 digs to lift Harvard to a 3-0 win over Penn and guarantee the Crimson a share of the first Ivy League title in program history.
November 20, 2004 - Perfection Again
The football team overwhelmed Yale, 35-3, to complete a 10-0 season that included Harvard's 11th Ivy League championship. Harvard finished the season as the only undefeated school in Division I-AA and ranked No. 13 in the final national poll, its highest ranking since the inception of the I-AA poll. The season included a 35-34 win against Brown that saw the Crimson erase deficits of 21-0 and 31-10 before prevailing.
March 5, 2005 - Swimming to a Sweep
Swimmer of the Meet John Cole '05 paced Harvard to its 19th Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League title. The Crimson captured the league meet at Blodgett Pool just a week after the Harvard women's team posted a 226-point win at Princeton to take its eighth Ivy League championship. Both wins followed perfect dual-meet seasons, as the men's team posted an 8-0 mark and the women went 10-0. Cole won the 500-, 1,000- and 1,650-yard freestyle events for the fourth straight year, becoming the first EISL athlete to become a four-year winner of any three events. Noelle Bassi '07 won three events for the Harvard women.
March 19, 2005 - Freshman is the Best
Emily Cross '08-09 won an individual national championship in the women's foil, becoming the first Harvard and fifth Ivy woman to earn that distinction. Cross, the Ivy League Rookie of the Year, won the gold medal with a 15-7 victory over Alicia Kryczalo of Notre Dame. The Crimson sent 10 fencers to the NCAA Championships, the most from any school in the nation.
June 3, 2005 - Sailing to Another National Championship
The Crimson women's sailing team pulled away on the final day of the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association Women's Championship to claim its fifth national title and first since 1972. All four Harvard sailors in the event—Genny Tulloch '05, Sloan Devlin '06, Emily Simon '07 and Christina Dahlman '07—earned All-America honors as Harvard claimed its third sailing title (women's or coed) in four years.
June 4, 2005 – It Never Gets Old!
Heavyweight men's crew won its third straight national title. The victory also secured Harvard's third straight Ten Eyck trophy for overall team supremacy at the IRA Regatta. It was Harvard's ninth official national championship in the sport. One week later the Crimson defeated Yale to cap off another undefeated season. The Crimson moved its unbeaten streak to 24 consecutive dual races and 32 opponents. Seniors Aaron Holzapfel and Malcolm Howard concluded their collegiate careers with undefeated records.
November 19, 2005 - Triple Overtime Thriller
Harvard defeated Yale for the fifth straight year by rallying from a 21-3 second-half deficit to prevail, 30-24, in three overtimes at the Yale Bowl. It marked the first triple-overtime game in Ivy League history and the first Harvard-Yale game to go to extra periods.
February 19, 2006 - Crimson and Gold
Jennifer Botterill '02-03 and Sarah Vaillancourt '08-09 led Team Canada to the gold medal in women's ice hockey at the 2006 Torino Olympics. The U.S. team, which earned the bronze, included Harvard's Caitlin Cahow '07-08, Julie Chu '06-07, Jamie Hagerman '03 and Angela Ruggiero '02-04. At least two Crimson players have won the gold medal in each of the first three Olympics that included women's ice hockey. Ruggiero has the unique distinction of winning the gold, silver and bronze medals at these games.
March 3, 2006 - Comeback Kids
Harvard women's basketball made a remarkable turnaround during the season. After earning just one non-conference victory, the Crimson tore through the Ivy League schedule posting a 13-1 record. With a 64-48 win over Cornell at Lavietes Pavilion, the Crimson secured its 10th Ivy League title and its sixth trip to the NCAA tournament.
March 18, 2006 - Crimson Powers to Third League Title in Five Years
Harvard scored five power-play goals, including two each by Jimmy Fraser and Dan Murphy, to defeat Cornell, 6-2, and win its third ECAC Hockey League tournament championship in five years. The Crimson clinched an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament, its fifth straight appearance. Goaltender John Daigneau '06 was named Most Outstanding Player as Harvard wins its eighth league tournament championship. The offense did its part, too, netting a league-record 28 goals in the tournament, many coming in a 10-1 semifinal thrashing of Dartmouth. Harvard's five selections to the all-tournament team are also a record, as the Crimson made its fifth straight appearance in the championship game.
March 17, 2006 - All-America Triplets
For the first time in program history, three wrestlers earned All-America honors at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. J.P. O'Connor became the first freshman in Crimson history to accomplish that feat as a freshman when he finished fifth at 149 pounds. He was just one of two true freshmen in the country to earn All-America honors. Max Meltzer and Louis Caputo also made it the podium, finishing eighth at 141 and seventh at 184, respectively. Harvard tied for 22nd overall with 29 points, the most points in program history.
March 19, 2006 - National Champs! Harvard Wins NCAA Fencing Title
Harvard won its first-ever fencing national championship with a total of 165 points at the four-day competition in Houston. The Crimson was paced by Benji Ungar '08-09 who won an individual epee national title. This was the fourth NCAA championship in the history of Harvard's athletics program as the fencing team joined the 1989 men's ice hockey team, the 1990 women's lacrosse team, and the 2003 women's rowing team as NCAA champions. The title was the 138th national championship in Harvard's history and the first in fencing since Harvard's men won the 1934 epee championship.
November 11, 2006 - Ivy League's New Rushing King
The Ivy League's most hallowed record falls by the wayside as Clifton Dawson broke loose for a 55-yard run against Penn to surpass former Cornell great Ed Marinaro as the Ancient Eight's all-time rushing leader. Dawson ran for 119 yards against the Quakers to finish the game with 4,781 yards, bettering Marinaro's longstanding mark of 4,715. Dawson would finish his spectacular career with 4,841 rushing yards and 60 rushing touchdowns, both Ivy League records.
November 17, 2006 - Harvard Swims Past 25 Straight Opponents
The Harvard women's swimming and diving team wins the first 14 events of the afternoon and swims the last two as exhibitions as it defeated Columbia, 193-102, a. It was the Crimson's 25th straight dual-meet win, dating back to the 2004-05 season.
March 23, 2007 - Hagamen Joins Select Company with NCAA Championship
Tim Hagamen '07 won an individual national championship in the men's sabre division by defeating Notre Dame's Patrick Ghattas, 15-14, in the thrilling bout. With this victory in the NCAA final, Hagamen becomes Harvard's fourth NCAA gold medallist in men's fencing and the first in the sabre.
May 5, 2007 - A Championship No-Hitter
Harvard wraps up its fourth Ivy League title with a sweep of Penn in the inaugural Ivy League Championship at Soliders Field. Shelly Madick '08 throws a no-hitter in the first game and saves the second as Harvard wins, 4-0 and 4-2. Shortstop Lauren Brown '07 homers for the winning runs in Game 2. The Crimson claims its fourth Ivy title and advances to its third NCAA tournament. Madick is named the league's Pitcher of the Year, while slugger Lauren Murphy '10 is named Rookie of the Year after bashing a league-record 18 home runs on the season.
Sept. 20, 2007 - Crossing The Line
The men's and women's cross country teams defeated Yale for the first time this decade in the HYP race. The Harvard men finished second, third, fourth, seventh and eighth to defeat Yale, 24-32. In the women's race, Harvard edged out Yale, 24-35. The top five Harvard men were only separated by 27 seconds over the 8k course. Jake Gallagher from Yale won in 25:43, followed by Harvard senior captain Brian Holmquest, who finished in 25:55. Classmate Chris Green (26:03) and freshman Dan Chenoweth (26:09) rounded out the top-four finishers. Harvard's first runner to cross the line was senior Lindsey Scherf, who finished in eighth with a time of 18:39. Newcomer Jamie Olson was just one second behind the veteran in ninth place. Freshman Claire Richardson was 12th with a time of 18:50. The top-five Crimson runners finished within 34 seconds of each other.
September 22, 2007 - First Night Football Game
The first night football game at Harvard Stadium took place in front of 18,898 fans. The Crimson scored the first touchdown under the lights on its opening drive, going 80 yards in eight plays with Liam O'Hagan connecting with Corey Mazza on a 21-yard scoring pass. Harvard then used three fourth-quarter interceptions to hold off Brown, 24-17.
November 17, 2007 - Rolling To Another Ivy Title
In just the fourth meeting between two teams with undefeated Ivy records in the final week of the season, Harvard defeated Yale, 37-6, in front of 57,248 fans at the Yale Bowl. The Elis, looking for their first unblemished season in 47 years and first outright Ivy title in 26 years, entered the game ranked 11th and leading the nation in rushing offense and passing defense. Harvard limited them to just 66 rushing yards and 109 total yards and held Yale QBs to only 43 yards on 22 attempts. Harvard QB Chris Pizzotti threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns as the Crimson handed Yale its worst loss to Harvard at the Bowl since 1914.
March 7, 2008 – Winningest Basketball Coach
The Harvard women's basketball team defeated Brown, 68-47, at the Pizzatola Sports Center to earn a share of the 2008 Ivy League title. The win not only marked the 11th Ancient Eight title, but it also gave head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith her 400th career victory. All 400 wins for Delaney-Smith have come at the helm of the Crimson. She is the all-time winningest coach in Ivy League women's basketball history.
March 8, 2008 - Perfect at Blodgett! Harvard Caps Undefeated Season With 20th EISL Championship
Harvard swimmers and divers captured 13 events at the EISL Championship held at Blodgett Pool, putting an exclamation point on a perfect season. The EISL title was the 20th in program history. Geoff Rathgeber '08 led the Crimson with seven victories at this year's EISL meet, giving him 21 for his career. Rathgeber was selected as the Moriarty Trophy winner for being the high-scorer of the meet and was honored with the Ulen Trophy for most career points. The Crimson finished the regular season 9-0 during dual meets and attained a No. 22 national ranking.
March 15, 2008 - Stone Wins 300th
Before 1,497 fans at Bright Hockey Center, Sarah Vaillancourt '08-09 and Jenny Brine '09 each tallied two goals to lead the Crimson to a 5-1 victory over Dartmouth in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Harvard head coach Katey Stone earned her 300th win, which sent the Crimson to its fifth Frozen Four. The team established a new NCAA record by winning its 21st straight game and concluded the season 18-0-0 on home ice and 27-0-0 against ECAC opponents.
April 5, 2008 - Men's Lacrosse Plays First-Ever Lacrosse Game at Gillette Stadium
In front of 2,705 fans, Harvard faced Cornell in the first-ever lacrosse game held at Gillette Stadium. The contest between the Crimson and Big Red was game one of a doubleheader in the inaugural New England Lacrosse Classic at Gillette Stadium, which served as the venue for the 2008 and 2009 Men's Lacrosse NCAA Championships. The Big Red won the game, 11-7.
April 20, 2008 - Women's Golf Run
Harvard's women's golfers won the first of two consecutive Ivy League titles in convincing fashion. The 2008 victory gave the program its first championship while the second win established a legacy of one of the finest programs in the region. In the fall of 2009, Harvard would be invited to the GolfWeek Challenge in Las Vegas, Nev. with the program becoming the first in the Ivy league and Northeast region to earn votes in the national Top 25 poll. From the fall of 2007 to the spring of 2009, Harvard won an astounding 17 of the 24 regular season and Ivy League championship tournaments that it entered.
May 24-26, 2008 - Harvard Hosts NCAA Lacrosse Championships
The NCAA Divisions I, II and III Men's Lacrosse Championships took place at Gillette Stadium with Harvard along with the ECAC, the Kraft family and staff serving as hosts. The event set new NCAA outdoor championships and men's lacrosse records for attendance as the weekend drew a total of 145,828 fans from across the country. Harvard hosted in excess of 300 credentialed media members with all five games being aired live on national television. The Crimson also hosted the 2009 championships, held at Gillette Stadium May 23-25. Harvard served as hosts of the 2012 NCAA Championships, as well as the 2011 NCAA quarterfinals, both at Gillette Stadium.
During the summer of 2008, Harvard sent two fencers to the Beijing Olympics, as Emily Cross'08-'09 and Noam Mills '11 competed in the foil and epee, respectively. Cross became the first-ever Harvard fencer to medal at the Olympics, as she earned a silver in the women's team foil.
November 22, 2008 - From 0-1 To Ivy League Champions
The football team won its 13th league championship and became just the eighth team in Ivy history to win the title after losing the league opener. An undefeated non-conference schedule propelled the Crimson to a 9-1 mark with four players being selected All-America.
January 30, 2009 - First to 500
The Harvard women's basketball team became the first Ivy League school and first women's program in Boston to record 500 program wins. The Crimson accomplished that feat with a 72-63 win over Penn at The Palestra.
November 21, 2009 - H-Y Stunner at The Bowl
Harvard wins its fifth straight game at Yale Bowl by scoring two late touchdowns in a 14-10 thriller against first-year Yale coach Tom Williams. With Yale leading 10-0 late in the fourth, Harvard drove 76 yards in 1:50 on six plays to make it a 10-7 game. Yale got the ball back and converted a pair of first downs to move the ball to its own 37 as the clock crept inside the four-minute mark. Yale eventually found itself in fourth down with 22 yards to go from its 25 yard line at 2:40 on the clock. With the league's best punter in Tom Mante waiting to boot it down field, Yale coach Tom Williams instead called an improbable reverse run on a fake punt. John Powers evaded a would-be tackler in the backfield and moved behind a wall of blockers along the left sideline but Collin Zych blew up a double team block and Anthony Spadafino stopped Powers seven yards shy, giving Harvard the ball at Yale's 40 yard line with 2:25 as a stunned Yale crowd looked on. It took Harvard just three plays to devastate the crowd again as Chris Lorditch cut across the middle of the field and then swiftly past two defenders up the seam as QB Collier Winters lofted a perfect pass over the inside coverage. Thirty-two yards later, Harvard suddenly led 14-10 before linebacker Jon Takamura finished the victory with an interception.
November, 2009 - Harvard Sweeps Ivy Soccer
For the first time since 1996, both Harvard soccer teams won the Ivy League title. The Crimson women's team earned its second straight conference crown, going 6-1 in league play to reach the NCAA tournament for the second straight season. The men' s squad posted a 5-1-1 Ivy League record en route to its fourth consecutive berth in the NCAA postseason, as the team advanced to the third round for the first time since 1987.
November, 2009 - Among The Nation's Best
In 2009, Harvard football put the finishing touches on a decade that saw Harvard post the second highest national winning percentage in the Football Championship Subdivision and seventh highest in all of Division I. Harvard's .768 winning percentage from 2000-09 trailed only Montana while FBS schools Texas, Boise State, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Florida were the only schools to finish ahead of Tim Murphy's Crimson. Rounding out the national top 10 in the decade was LSU, USC and Appalachian State.
FCS 2000-09……............. W-L........ Pct.
1. Montana......................... 120-24..... 833
2. Harvard........................ 76-23....... 768
3. Appalachian State.......... 102-33....... 756
4. Northern Iowa................ 80-29....... 734
5. Penn............................... 69-29....... 704
6. Colgate.......................... 81-34....... 701
7. McNeese State................. 82-35....... 700
8. San Diego...................... 73-33....... 689
9. Furman........................... 83-39....... 680
10. Hampton....................... 73-36....... 669
Div. I 2000-09……............ W-L........ Pct.
1. Texas.............................. 109-13..... 893
2. Boise State..................... 112-17..... 868
3. Montana......................... 120-24..... 833
4. Oklahoma...................... 110-24..... 821
5. Ohio State...................... 102-25..... 803
6. Florida............................ 100-27....... 787
7. Harvard........................ 76-23....... 768
10. Appalachian State.......... 102-33....... 756
February 26, 2010 - Katey Stone Becomes NCAA's All-Time Winningest Coach
With a 5-1 victory against Princeton in Game 1 of the ECAC Hockey quarterfinals at Bright Hockey Center, Katey Stone, the Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard Women's Ice Hockey, became the winningest coach in NCAA Division I history. Stone surpassed former Colby and Minnesota head coach Laura Halldorson, as she earned the 338th victory in her legendary coaching career, all coming at the helm of the Crimson.
February 28, 2010 - Perfection! Women's Squash Takes Home National Championship
The Harvard women's squash team capped a 12-0 season by defeating Penn by a score of 6-3 in the final of the College Squash Assocation National Team Championships in New Haven, Conn. The Crimson, which earned the 12th national title in program history, also went 6-0 in the Ivy League, picking up the 17th conference crown.
March 7, 2010 - West, Gemmell Win Individual National Titles
The Harvard squash programs earned a unique sweep, as senior Colin West '10 and freshman Laura Gemmell '13 claimed the College Squash Association Individual national titles. West took home the Pool Cup after a 5-0 weekend, as he finished the season with a 16-1 overall record. Gemmell, who completed her rookie season with a 16-0 record, earned the Ramsay Cup as she went 5-0 at the competition.
March 17, 2010 - A New School Record
Despite losing an opening round game in the CIT Tournament to Appalachian State, Harvard saw its season end with a then-school-record 21 wins against eight losses. Included in the mark was an 11-2 home record and a 10-4 mark in Ivy League play. The program earned its first postseason bid since the 1946 season and set records in virtually every category. Under head coach Tommy Amaker, the program's upward trajectory from 2007 to 2010 included wins over Michigan, two wins over Boston College and Santa Clara, and wins over William & Mary, Rice, George Washington and Seattle.
March 20, 2010 - Undefeated National Champion
Harvard's J.P. O'Connor capped off an unbeaten senior season by winning the 157 pound title at the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships. In front of a sold out crowd of 15,919 and broadcasted live on ESPN, the Oxford, N.Y., native avenged a 2009 loss to Chas Pami (which denied the junior All-American status) with a 6-4 win in the final. O'Connor dominated his opponents in the tournament, outscoring them 51-10. With the win O'Connor became the third national champion for the Crimson and first to complete a season undefeated. His final win of the season also tied him for the program record in wins with 132.
March, 2010 - Harvard Hosts NCAA Fencing Championships
The NCAA Fencing Championships were held at Harvard's Gordon Indoor Track March 25-28. The four-day event included 144 fencers, including 12 from Harvard. Crimson sophomore Caroline Vloka '12 captured the women's sabre championship, becoming the Crimson's second female national champion in program history. Sophomore Noam Mills '12 placed second in the women's epee, as Harvard finished fifth overall.
March 6, 2012 - Return to the Dance
The Harvard men's basketball team earned its first NCAA tournament berth since 1946. The Crimson finished the season with the program single-season record for victories with 26.
June 9, 2012 - Stone Leads the Way to Silver
Katey Stone, the Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard Women's Ice Hockey, was officially announced as the head coach of the U.S. Women's Olympic Hockey team, becoming the first ever female head coach to lead Team USA on the ice. Stone eventually led the Red, White and Blue to a silver medal in Sochi.
February 17, 2013 - Back-to-back for Women's Squash
The Harvard women's squash team won its second straight CSA national title with a 5-4 win over Trinity. The Crimson dominated Yale in 2012, 8-1, to complete an undefeated season. Amanda Sobhy also won CSA individual championships in 2012 and 2013, her first two years in Cambridge.
March 21, 2013 - Cinderella Upset
Despite being a No. 14 seed, the Harvard men's basketball team made history by defeating third-seeded New Mexico, 68-62, in the second round of the NCAA tournament, the first postseason victory in program history.
May 10-12, 2013 - Harvard Hosts NCAA Women's Water Polo Championships
Harvard's Blodgett Pool played host the 2013 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship, which featured eight of the top teams in the country. The tournament marked the first time in the 13-year history of the event that it was hosted in the northeast region of the United States. USC defeated Stanford, 10-9, in a third sudden-death period to win the title in the longest championship game in the event's history.
June 2, 2013 - Another Unbeaten Season for Men's Lightweight Crew
Harvard's lightweight first varsity crew captured its second straight IRA National Championship, and ninth overall, on Lake Natoma. The Crimson completed an undefeated season and also won the lightweight four race for a sweep of the two lightweight events at the regatta. The Crimson becomes the third school to win at least two consecutive titles since 2006.
June 25, 2013 - Harry Parker Passes Away After 51 Season as Harvard Crew Head Coach
Legendary Harvard crew head coach Harry Parker died June 25, 2013 at the age of 77 after 51 seasons leading the Crimson. Since taking over Harvard's heavyweight program in 1963, Parker guided the Crimson to 22 undefeated regular seasons, 24 EARC Sprints varsity titles, 21 second varsity Sprints crowns, and a combined 16 official and unofficial national championships. Parker also owned a 44-7 record at the Harvard-Yale Regatta, including six straight victories to close out his career.
September 7, 2013 - Women's Rugby Plays First Game as Harvard's 42nd Varsity Team
Harvard's women's rugby program commenced its status as the 42nd varsity sport on Sep. 7, 2013 when it hosted Quinnipiac at Cumnock Field. The Crimson fell that day, 39-10, but captured its first varsity victory 10 days later when it blanked Yale, 84-0.
February 20, 2014 - Four Crimson Earn Olympic Silver in Sochi
With the Landry Family Head Coach for Harvard Women's Ice Hockey, Katey Stone, on the bench, Team USA captured a silver medal at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Stone led the Americans, which featured familiar faces to Cambridge in Julie Chu '06, Lyndsey Fry '15, Michelle Picard '16 and Josephine Pucci '15.
March 1, 2014 - Kathy Delaney-Smith Becomes All-Time Winningest Ivy League Head Coach
Harvard women's basketball head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith earned career win No. 515 to become the all-time winningest Ivy League head coach with a 64-51 victory at Columbia March 1. Delaney-Smith owns a career record of 532-361 in her 33 years with the Crimson. She is one of six active Division I head coaches to spend 33 years at one institution.
March 17, 2014 - At-Large Triumph
Harvard women's basketball becomes the first team in Ivy League history to earn an at-large bid to a postseason tournament, winning its first-round WNIT game at Iona on March 20.
March 20, 2014 - Men's Basketball Does It Again
For the second straight year, the men's basketball team advanced to the third round of the NCAA tournament with a 61-57 victory over fifth-seeded Cincinnati. With the win, Harvard became the first Ivy League program to win a game in back-to-back tournaments since 1983-84.
April 26, 2014 - Back At The Top
The men's lacrosse team captured its first Ivy League title in 24 years with an 11-10 victory at Yale on the final day of the regular season. The Crimson, which earned an at-large berth into the NCAA tournament, finished the season with a 10-7 overall record, a 5-1 mark in the Ivy League, and went 7-1 at home in Cambridge.
June 1, 2014 - Take a Bow, Rad
Harvard-Radcliffe lightweight crew wins its first IRA National Championship title since 1997, capping an undefeated season with an unbelievable comeback in West Windsor, New Jersey. Down seven seats with 500 meters to row, the Black and White found another gear to overtake Stanford and Bucknell and earn gold in a finish that saw all three crews within a second of each other.
November 15, 2014 – Women's Volleyball Regains Crown
For the first time in 10 years, the women's volleyball team earned a share of the Ivy League championship with a 3-1 victory over Cornell on the final night of the regular season. Despite falling to Yale in the Ivy League Playoff, the Crimson finished the year with a 19-5 overall record and 12-2 mark in conference, representing the most Ancient Eight victories in program history.
November 21, 2014 - Women's Soccer Takes the Stage
After claiming its 12th Ivy League title on Nov. 8 -- its second consecutive and fourth in six years -- and defeating Connecticut College, 6-0, on Nov. 15, Harvard advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson reached the round of 32 for the first time since 2001 but was given the tall order of visiting the No. 1 team, UCLA -- the Bruins were unbeaten in their last 42 contests. The Crimson fell, 7-0, finishing a respectable 11-5-2 in 2014.
November 22, 2014 - "The Game"Day Brings Eighth Straight Win Over Yale
For the first time in program history, Harvard football hosts ESPN's College GameDay before the 131st playing of The Game. The Crimson comes out victorious in one of the most memorable contests in recent memory, scoring with just 55 second remaining to best Yale, 31-24. Yale seemed to have an answer in the last minute, but Scott Peters picked off Morgan Roberts' final pass to seal the victory.
March 14, 2015 – Men's Basketball Punches Ticket With Ivy Playoff Victory over Yale
For the first time in history, collegiate athletics' oldest rivals met with a spot in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on the line. After sharing the Ivy League title with identical 11-3 conference records and splitting their regular-season meetings, Harvard and Yale tipped off for a third time at the famed Palestra in the one-game playoff. Senior co-captain Steve Moundou-Missi hit the game-winning shot with 7.2 seconds on the clock, sending the Crimson to the Big Dance for a fourth straight year.
March 22, 2015 - Women's Hockey Caps Memorable Season
The women's hockey team made its mark on the NCAA landscape in 2014-15, finishing as the National Runners-Up. The Crimson reached the national championship game for the fourth time in program history, but ultimately fell to No. 1 Minnesota, 4-1, in the Gophers' Ridder Arena. Harvard enjoyed a spectacular season along the way, however, capturing four titles during the season (Beanpot, Ivy League, ECAC Regular Season and ECAC Tournament) and finishing 27-6-4.
April 24, 2015 - Women's Golf Dynasty
The women's golf team became the first in Ivy League history to win four straight conference championships as it defeated Yale by just one stroke at Saucon Valley Country Club. Sophomore Anne Cheng and junior Courtney Hooton tied for fourth place in the individual competition to earn first team All-Ivy honors, while senior Brenna Nelsen tied for eighth place and received second team All-Ivy accolades.
May 10, 2015 - Women's Track and Field Repeats
Harvard women's track and field team wins back-to-back Ivy League Heptagonal Championships for the first time in program history. The Crimson tallied 157 points to defeat runner-up Princeton by 39.
November 6, 2015 - Schuyler Bailar Becomes First Openly Transgender Division I Men's Swimmer to Compete in an NCAA Event
Freshman swimmer Schuyler Bailar became the first student-athlete in the nation to compete for a men's Division I team when he raced in four events in a dual meet against Bryant at Blodgett Pool. Bailar scored his first collegiate point with a fifth-place finish in the 100 breaststroke.
November 20, 2015 - Women's Volleyball Earns First Tourney Bid
The women's volleyball team punched its ticket to the NCAA tournament for the first time with a 3-1 win over Princeton in the Ivy League Playoff. The Crimson would face eventual national champion Nebraska on its home floor in the first round of the tournament, and shocked the crowd of 8,000-plus by taking the first set.
December, 2015 - Quartet of Hall of Fame Inductions for Angela Ruggiero '04
Earning induction into four Hall of Fames in 2015-16, former Crimson blue-liner and four-time Olympian Angela Ruggiero '04 was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Beanpot Hall of Fame and Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame.
March 25, 2016 - Adrienne Jarocki Captures Second NCAA Fencing Championship in Saber
Junior saber fencer Adrienne Jarocki claimed her second NCAA title at the championship, which was held from March 24-25 at Brandeis University. Jarocki captured her first championship on March 20, 2014 as a freshman. The Middle Village, N.Y. native became the first two-time NCAA Champion at Harvard and just the second two-time women's saber fencer champion in the nation.
April 8, 2016 - Jimmy Vesey Wins Fourth Hobey Baker Award in Harvard History
Senior forward Jimmy Vesey was named the 2016 Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in college hockey, announced via a live broadcast on NHL Network from the Tampa Theatre as part of the Frozen Four festivities. Vesey is the fourth Hobey winner in school history and first since Lane MacDonald '89 in 1989.
April 22, 2016 – Women's Golf Does It Again
The women's golf team became the first in Ivy League history to win five-straight conference championships as it ran away with a 13-stroke victory over Princeton at The Stanwich Club. Head coach Kevin Rhoads was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year, while freshman Anna Zhou took home Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors. Zhou, a second team All-Ivy receipient, was joined on the all-conference teams by Anne Cheng (first team), Michelle Xie (first team), and Christine Lin (second team). The Crimson followed up its Ivy League title by placing ninth at the NCAA Regional Championships, the highest-ever placement by an Ivy League program.
The men's golf team won its first Ivy League championship in 41 years when it topped Dartmouth by four strokes at Metedeconk National Golf Club. Head coach Kevin Rhoads was named the Ivy League Coach of the Year, while freshman Aurian Capart (first team), sophomore Gregory Royston (second team), and junior Daniel De La Garza (second team) took home All-Ivy honors. The victory earned the Crimson its first-ever trip to the NCAA Regional Championships.
November 5, 2016 - Field Hockey Finishes Perfect Ivy Season
For the first time in program history, the Harvard field hockey team finished the regular season 7-0 in the Ivy League. The undefeated performance earned the Crimson its fourth Ivy League title in program history and fifth-ever berth into the NCAA Tournament. Overall, Harvard earned 12 wins, tying for the most in program history. Tjerk van Herwaarden would go on to win Ivy League and NFHCA Northeast Coach of the Year honors, Bente van Vlijmen was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year, and she joined senior Marissa Balleza on the All-America team.
November 19, 2016 - Women's Cross Country Completes Historic Season
December 3, 2016 – Dominant Water Polo Season
Harvard men's water polo made its first-ever NCAA Championship appearance and went on to win two NCAA tournament games with victories over then-No. 12 Bucknell and No. 9 UC Davis to earn a spot in the Final Four. Harvard recorded a third-straight season with 20-plus wins for the first time in school history and defeated a program-record 13 ranked opponents. The Crimson won the first conference championship in school history, taking home the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Championship with tournament wins over MIT, then-No. 13 Princeton and then-No. 10 Brown.
Harvard concludes one of the most decorated seasons in its rich history, reaching the Frozen Four in Chicago. The Crimson posted a 28-6-2 record, its best since the 1988-89 title season. Along the way if won the Beanpot, Ivy League, ECAC Hockey regular season and tournament titles. Adam Fox '20 and Alexander Kerfoot '17 both earned All-America honors.
March 21, 2018 – Men's Swimming and Diving Finishes In Top-20 at NCAA Championships
No. 24 men's swimming and diving recorded its best finish at the NCAA Championships since 2002, placing 18th as a team and tallying 58 total points. Dean Farris '20 earned two first team All-America honors in the 200 freestyle and 200 backstroke, while Brennan Novak '19 and Logan Houck '19 earned All-America honorable mention in the 500 freestyle. Three Crimson relay teams picked up All-America honorable mention honors in the 800 freestyle, 200 freestyle, and 200 medley.
Junior co-captain Eli Dershwitz of the men's fencing team became the first men's fencer in program history to clinch back-to-back national championship titles, claiming his second consecutive individual crown in the sabre category. Dershwitz was the first men's fencer in 15 years to post a perfect 23-0 record and has now earned All-America first team honors in each of his three seasons at Harvard.
April 21, 2018 – Men's Volleyball Clinches First EIVA Championship and Trip to NCAA Tournament
The men's volleyball team had a historic 2018 season, clinching its first EIVA Championship title and bid to the NCAA Tournament in program history. After defeating Princeton, 3-1, to capture the EIVA crown, Harvard traveled to UCLA for the first round of the NCAA Tournament, stunning a crowd of nearly 1,700 by taking the first set against the Bruins.
In its 135th playing of The Game, Harvard capped the season by defeating Yale. Senior quarterback, Tom Stewart, led the Crimson to a commanding 45-27 historic victory over the Bulldogs with three TD's and a combined 312 yards as the offense totaled 605 yards. Senior Zach Miller secured a Crimson victory with the game-ending interception.