The Crimson will probably score more points and win more games this winter than any previous squad (although that doesn't say too much because of the history of pathetic teams). The squad is extremely tall, fast, and talented.

But Penn proved its superior training in its humiliation of Harvard in the Palestra last spring, and Dartmouth and Princeton also have several outstanding sophomore shooters. If Harvard hopes for more than scoring records, it will have to improve its coordinated attack. In any case, the Crimson will be near the very top of the league and will play an exciting, fast-paced game. It could go even further.

FENCING--Last season was to be Harvard's first Ivy League fencing title. Two All-Americans, sabre Larry Cetrulo and foil Tom Keller, were to combine with greater depth to bring the Crimson national attention.

However, there was a catch--the fencing team choked. It not only lost to top teams like Columbia and NYU, it came from behind to miraculously lose close matches to Princeton and Penn and fall into the Ivy second division. Cetrulo and Keller had good seasons, but the team depth never materialized. This winter the Crimson will not only lack talented depth, it has also lost Cetrulo and Keller.

Although the Ivy title seems a distant possibility. Harvard proved last year that no team can rely on two or three unbeatable leaders. Coach Edo Marion has created a devoted following at the IAB, and perhaps his instruction will build a balanced squad that, while missing an attention-attracting star, will bring some surprising upsets.

HOCKEY--You would expect a lot from a team that won the ECAC championship and entered the NCAA semifinals. Yet, the Crimson will be a virtual unknown quantity when the pucks start flying.

Coach Bill Cleary greets a squad that finished well behind B.U., Clarkson, and Cornell in the regular season and managed to lose very easily to Vermont and Brown. Harvard was far from number one in the East last winter even though it won the ECAC tournament.

Graduation took a heavy toll from Harvard. Gone are goalie Bruce Durno, a starter for three years, and the forward line of Joe Cavanagh, Dan DeMichele, and Steve Owen, a line that led the Crimson in scoring for three years. Also gone is All-American, all-everything Cavanagh's presence on the power play and penalty-killing. For Cavanagh was also the backbone of the defense as well as the offense.

However, Cleary does not start with a dearth of talent. The Crimson defense was held together by sophomores last year and they will be back with a year of experience. Also, the Crimson sophomore line--centered by Bob McNamama--led the Crimson attack throughout the ECAC and NCAA tournaments.

Cleary himself is a big unknown factor. The Crimson was plagued by lackluster, uninspired play last winter. If Cleary can fire up the team this year, more consistent results could follow and an Ivy League title is a possibility.

Harvard has the talent to remain one of the top five or six teams in the East. Whether it has the talent to defend the ECAC title is less probable.

SQUASH--Last spring was the Crimson's dream year. Having lost three of its top four players, Harvard's sophomores came through to whitewash all their opponents, demolish top contender Penn, and clinch the national team title once again.

The backbone of that team was the bottom of the order. Underclassmen Alan Quasha, Andy Wiegand, Dan Gordon, Neil Vosters and Lowell Pratt assured the Crimson of five points every time it played. Add to that seniors Ed Atwood and Jaime Gonzalez at three and four and the Crimson totally dominated the "B" and "C" division competition at the National Championships.

With seven of its starting nine (actually 10 of its top 12) and two promising freshmen returning, coach Jack Barnaby's team ranks as the squad to beat this winter.

Two problems face the Crimson. First, Harvard lacks a big name number one man to face the top players at Penn and Williams. Junior Peter Briggs and Captain Dave Fish did far better than expected, winning every match except one. But at the National Championship, Harvard lost the six-man title because it could not win at the top amongst the number one players. Fish and Briggs will need to improve to challenge defending champion Palmer Page of Penn.