The Newest Varsity in Town

Equipped with setters, spikers, and diggers, the women's volleyball program resembles a prospector on a life-long search for precious metals. The Crimson first struck gold last May when the Standing Committee on Athletics approved the squad's proposal for varsity (Level II) status and concomitant funding.

Now, entering its first varsity season with eight returning veterans, the Harvard women's volleyball team strives for a heretofore elusive pot of gold, the Ivy League Championship. Coming off a 6-10 season last fall with a disappointing seventh place finish in the Ivies, that golden goal is probably still somewhere over the rainbow.

But, with a full-fledged coach, guaranteed daily practices, (including double sessions during freshman week) and the drawing power of varsity status, the Crimson will surely improve its calibre of play and position in the Ivy standings. "We've been at a distinct disadvantage in the past playing against teams with much larger budgets and extended seasons," said senior Marlene Schoofs, adding, "I think we'll surprise everyone this year. I'm very optimistic."

In addition to increased gym time, (in the past, the squad has been lucky to use the IAB three times a week, even when settling for times like 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m.) a strategy change should aid the spikers' cause.

Last year, the Crimson organized the offense with two setters, seniors Louise Horn and Ray Kinoshita (who is taking time off this fall), two tall middle blockers, Rusty Baker and Liz Peterson, and two hitters, Schoofs and Val Romero. Sophomore Isabel Holland, who saw-action as the all-important seventh man, may replace Kinoshita this season, but with a group of talented freshmen expected to try out, no positions are secure as yet.

Coach Karyn Altman, who led the M.I.T. spikers to victory in the Small College Volleyball Eastern Championships in 1976, plans to introduce a multiple offense which features three hitters and a back rown setter.

But first, Altman, who experienced the club-to-varsity team transition after the Engineers won the state tournament in 1975,' will stress the basics. Says Altman, "We'll work everyone hard on defense. As a young team, we want to emphasize strong passing and keeping the ball in play."

Concerned about the headstart most schools have over the spikers because of Harvard's late registration, Altman had the team members on a comprehensive summer training program which included weights, sprint and endurance work, jumping, and rolling--a technique for avoiding injury when lunging for a save. "At this level of play," adds the former assistant at the University of Nebraska, "the winning team is often the one which practiced longer and harder."

To make up for lost time, the Crimson will work out in double sessions during freshman week in preparation for the season opener at Wheaton September 24th. The squad should be fine-tuning its sets and saves when the Bruins of Brown travel to Cambridge for the Ivy home opener on October 7th. Dual matches against Brown and Yale during the season should indicate where the team stands in the Ivy League race, but most likely Penn and defending champion Princeton will battle for the title at the Ivies, which Harvard hosts the weekend of November 7th.

All the Ivy League schools have varsity teams except Dartmouth, which does not have a volleyball program, and Yale where the varsity team was recently demoted to club status.

So, unless Altman learned alchemy in her days at M.I.T., don't expect the volleyball team to bring any Ivy League gold home to the Crimson ivory towers. For now newly-attained varsity status will have to be as good as gold.