Letter From the Chairs: An Olympic Year in Sports

The 2023-2024 athletic year has been defined by one word: Olympic. Marked by a slew of national championships, Ivy League titles, and individual player honors, Harvard’s 42 Division I teams placed themselves firmly within a niche of excellence this past season. And that elite level of competition will only be heightened as the Crimson is set to be represented by a contingent of athletes at the highest level this summer: the 2024 Paris Olympics.

While donning the jersey of their home nation, the athletes will also be defending the Harvard name on the greatest stage in the world. The lessons they learned while at Harvard, and the accolades garnered while playing for the Crimson, are priceless in vaulting them to their positions today. From the field hockey team winning the inaugural Ivy League Championship to the men’s and women’s tennis teams cracking the NCAA postseason lineup for the first time in program history, Crimson jerseys have been hung in the rafters this year, and in the process have equipped our athletes with the tact to handle the toughest competitions.

We have had the pleasure of guiding the Sports Board through an historic and unprecedented year. With eight fencers, five rowers, and one sailor representing the Crimson in Paris, amongst others, this year represents a unique opportunity for Harvard to demonstrate its athletic prowess throughout the calendar year. Yet as we look forward to cheering on our peers later this summer, it is only fitting that here we honor the achievements of this past year. Through these articles, we detail the triumphs, defeats, and stories of persistence that have come to define the gritty, cerebral brand of athletics particular to our hamlet.

From interviews with the student managers that keep the teams moving forward each day, to a conversation with the first new head football coach in over 30 years, we have attempted to paint a picture of what it is that pushes our athletic programs to find success. We hope you come to understand the energy that characterizes the Crimson — the energy we feel on the sidelines, in the stands, and coursing through these pages.

Sincerely,

Katharine A. Forst ’25 | Sports Chair

Jack K. Silvers ’25 | Sports Chair