FALL SPORTS

Men's soccer would rank as a major sport, but for the overshadowing influence of King Football. Harvard has an especially strong team that would sport an exceptionally strong record each year except for one factor: Ivy League soccer is the toughest around.

Men's cross-country also stands out. A small, talented squad, the harriers won the IC4As (Eastern championships) year before last, and they consistently provide the best copy in The Crimson's sports columns because of very quotable, very capable coach Bill McCurdy.

Women's field hockey has matured from the clubby atmosphere of a couple years back into a tough, serious intercollegiate squad. Women's cross country and soccer, though, only in their third year of existence, have reached a surprisingly high level of quality. Fall schedules of the varsity sailing team and the women's tennis team round out the official schedule of autumn competition.

WINTER SPORTS

Aside from the biggies, men's swimming and men's squash stand out. The aquamen battle it out with Princeton each year for the Eastern Seaboards championship, while the racquetmen take on the Tigers each year in a two-team struggle for the national crown. Princeton won in both last winter, but the rivalries live on.

The wrestling and men's indoor track and field squads keep up a fairly high level of competition each year. though they rarely win any big titles.

Like all women's sports at this school, the women's hoop and swim squads have soared in terms of quality and seriousness of play in recent years. The women's squash team has always been somewhat respectable, and last winter established itself as one of the top few squads in the country.

The men's and women's fencing teams not only perform at a decent level of competition, but they also provide opportunities for demented sorts at The Crimson to pen the goriest headlines all year.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot the newest winter varsity sport. Remember Joe Bertagna, the wet-haired goalie at Elsie's? Well, last year he joined forces with about 15 women and coached them through a scheduled season as a club team. This year the icewomen become Level II varsity (all sports receive a Level I or II designation), and while they may not look all that great yet, they're getting there.

SPRING SPORTS

The men's tennis team is very good, as is men's lacrosse, and most of the crews.

The racquetmen like their squash counterparts, have to contend with national power Princeton each season for their main goal--the Eastern League crown. Two years ago, the Crimson tied the nationally ranked Tigers for the title.

Harvard's laxmen came from out of nowhere to finish in the top 15 in the nation last year, and second behind awesome Cornell in the Ivies. Three All-Americans return, so make sure you're a hotshot from Baltimore or Long Island if you want any playing time.

Both the men's track and field team and the varsity golfers have reputations for some measure of talent, but also for erratic performances. Women's track and field remains a minor sport, but the women's tennis and lacrosse outfits established themselves as bona fide quality performers last spring.