Harvard Athletes Reach National Stage

Although Harvard is not typically appreciated as the embodiment of athletic talent, a number of our competitors, both upper and underclassmen, have proven this year that our university has not only the brains but the brawn.

One can easily point out the names that have distinguished Harvard for athletic prowess: Colin West, J.P. O’Connor, Caroline Vloka, Andre Akpan, Laura Gemmell, and Jeremy Lin.

Colin West and Laura Gemmell both won national titles in men’s and women’s squash, respectively. Not only did they take home the most-coveted crowns but they displayed complete domination over their competition throughout their seasons. For West, his championship was the perfect end to a colored career; for the freshman Gemmell, hers was the ideal beginning.

Caroline Vloka, a sophomore, took the gold medal for the sabre only last weekend in the NCAA fencing tournament, besting a decade-long rival and propelling Harvard to a fifth place overall finish in competition.

Like West, senior JP O’Connor capped his wrestling career with the highest possible honor: an individual national championship in his weight class.

Finally, although senior stars Jeremy Lin and Andre Akpan didn’t bring a national title to their basketball and soccer teams, respectively, they did bring fans, excitement and national attention that had been lacking for so long.

Led by these talented athletes, a new view of Harvard may be emerging: one that displays not only academic excellence but athletic prowess. With the gold of their trophies and distinction of their careers, these Crimson competitors have put Harvard on the map in an entirely new fashion.