With a young team guided by strong senior leadership—and plenty of talent—the Shelley Pearson and her Harvard University Women’s heavyweight crew began its season Saturday at the San Diego Crew Classic.
Head coach Liz O’Leary’s Harvard University varsity eight that includes Pearson opened the season ranked 14th nationally. Last season’s senior-laden crew earned a silver medal at Sprints and posted an 11 - 4 dual record that included seven straight wins to close the dual season. Each of Harvard University’s five varsity entries medaled at Sprints, while the novice eight dominated its petite final.
While Harvard University lost 11 seniors from last season, including five from the varsity eight, most of the athletes responsible for that strong overall team performance are back. With a talented group of freshmen joining the mix, Harvard University has the tools to be competitive from the season’s outset despite a tough stable.
Sophomore coxswain Jill Carlson is pacing the varsity eight for the second straight season. She is joined back in the top boat by senior captains Laura Huppert and Christine Baugh and junior standout Olivia Coffey. Each of the three oarswomen spent all of last spring in Harvard University’s top boat, with Huppert earning All-America selection and Coffey garnering all-region honors.
Six of the nine athletes who helped Harvard University take the second-varsity bronze at last season’s Sprints are back in 2010: rowers Kate Morris, Jessica Flakne, Kirsten Van Fossen, Ariel Delgado and Carolyn Talley and coxswain Amanda Deutsch.
Harvard University also welcomed back four of the five athletes from its varsity four, and a number of other accomplished oarswomen fill the team’s roster. Harvard University fielded as many as four different varsity fours, as well as a novice eight and novice four last seasons.
|
