Harvard's Golden Girls

"Crazed."

This is the word used by Harvard women's hockey Coach Katey Stone when asked to describe how Allison "A.J." Mleczko '99 felt after winning the gold medal in this year's installment of the Olympic Winter Games.

While groups of students huddle around a television in the Kirkland House junior common room reliving their schoolmate's Olympic glory, Mleczko and another pair of Harvard athletes are recovering from some of the most amazing days of their lives.

Mleczko was one of a trio of major competitors in Nagano, Japan this February, all of whom are either Harvard alumni or current students. Sandra Whyte '92 accompanied Mleczko on the United States' gold medal-winning hockey team in the 1998 games, also playing a key role for the squad.

Jim Herberich '85 rounded out the Harvard three, as he competed for the U.S. in both the two and the four-man bobsledding events.

Mleczko and Whyte put their skills to the test against the best women's hockey teams in the world this winter, and they have to be pleased with the results. The United States went on an undefeated tear through the international competition, but Mleczko and Whyte remained quiet--that is, until game four.

Against Japan, Mleczko put her talents on center stage, as did Sandra Whyte.

In the first period against the obviously outmatched Japanese team, Mleczko dropped two goals over the course of about five minutes on the Olympic hosts, and Whyte added another with 13:32 to go in the first period. As the Harvard women set the pace, the USA team went on to a 10-0 defeat of Japan, Mleczko, however, did not stop there.

In game five against the perennially-strong Canadian team, Mleczko notched two assists in the final period to seal a U.S. win, dishing to Elizabeth Brown and Patricia Dunn for scores. The U.S. squeezed out a 7-4 victory over Canada this time, but their northern neighbors would later prove that they were down, but not out.

In the gold medal game, it was Sandra Whyte's time to shine. Whyte closed out the U.S. team's flawless march by assisting on the first two goals, then sealing the golden bid on an empty-net goal with eight seconds remaining in the game.

Whyte's goal was the last scored by the United States in Nagano; the USA had competed valiantly, and once again topped Canada, this time by a score of 3-1.

"I really knew in my heart that this team was going to do this," Whyte told The Boston Globe.

While regarding the other countries with universal respect and grace off of the ice, the U.S. women simply devastated them in the rink. The United States had made it to the big dance, and dance they did.

Draped in Olympic glory on Japanese soil, one might think New England was the last thing on the minds of these young Harvard athletes, but Mleczko would soon dispel these notions.

When asked what her plans were beyond the medal stand, Mleczko responded by saying that she was headed back to Nantucket, her home, and that she was eager to get on her father's character boat.

"I'll help him get it ready, then go fishing for bluefish and striped bass," Mleczko said, as reported in The Globe.

Meanwhile, the Harvard women's hockey team (12-15, 6-14 ECAC) will anxiously await her return.

Stone could not say enough about the accomplishments of her erstwhile ice star. In her fourth year as the coach of the Harvard women's hockey team, Stone identified Mleczko as the "spine of the program."

When asked what Mleczko brought to the table for Harvard hockey, Stone listed the tangibles as well as the intangibles.

"A.J. definitely brings leadership, a tremendous attitude, and a contagious enthusiasm to Harvard hockey. Her disciplined approach to conditioning is also a great asset. She just has a knack for scoring goals; she's big, strong, and has a quick shot," Stone said.

Recently in contact with Mleczko, Stone added that A.J. is "very excited" about the medal and the team's play.

"Life is good," Mleczko told Stone.

It certainly is, and the sun has definitely not set on Harvard hockey. Having one athlete in the Olympics is a phenomenon; having two is a trend. When asked about Harvard's role as an Olympic Games pipeline for women's hockey, Stone responded with cheer.

"I definitely do think that we're going to keep doing that in the future," Stone said. "We've been attracting kids like Kiirsten Suurkask '01 and Tammy Shewchuk '00, who both were in competition for spots on the Canadian team.

"I think we can keep attracting Olympic-caliber players. Angela Ruggiero, who also played for Team USA in the Games, might be coming here, too."

For Mleczko, the road to Nagano was not paved with gold. Mleczko took a two-year absence from school to hone her talent, getting bigger and physically stronger for the international game.

"Her determination and work ethic have carried her all this way," Stone said. "I knew that she had the ability to do it, so I encouraged her to take off two years, not just one.

"I know that [Mleczko] is also looking forward to coming back and playing her senior year at Harvard. She doesn't look at it as a let-down at all."

Finally, the skilled Mleczko has a chance to bring her career full circle; she is ready to return to the team that helped groom her into a nationally-renowned athlete.

Harvard has made its fierce impact on the world sports scene with a great deal of flair, going out in championship style for the ladies, and with a high finish for Herberich.

As those medals hang about the necks of Whyte and Mleczko, the hockey pair has shown that they possess plenty of backbone to support them. We are the ones who should truly be "crazed" for these young women who refused to give up on the pursuit that struck gold.