One hundred and four season games, 500 hours of practice time, 32 sacrificed winter weekends, countless bus trips and hundreds of extra showers--that's what four years of varsity basketball at Harvard means.

In human terms, it means much, much more. Getting in shape, spraining ankles, overcoming the overtime jitters, suffering from bench boredom, worrying about the team's success; all of the personal triumphs and disappointments, large and small. Senior co-captains Wendy Carle and Caryn Curry have put in that kind of time, energy, and care into four years of Harvard basketball, and with the loss to Princeton in last weekend's Ivy tournament, their college basketball careers came to an abrupt end.

Homeward Bound

It's time to move on to other things now. Carle will soon be gone to Houston, Texas--her hometown--to do research at the Baylor Medical School biology labs. Curry is busy plotting her future in television production and the communications field. Basketball is a thing of the past.

Well, maybe not completely past. "We're already planning our strategy for next year's alumni game," says Carle. "I'll call you in Houston to coordinate workout schedules" adds a smiling Curry, half kidding, half serious. And then there's the team's Christmas tournament in California to help set up for next year...

For Carle and Curry, basketball has been a central, if not the central element of their Harvard careers. Similarly, the twosome have been the primary force behind the steadily-improving cagers. Four years ago a new coach, Carole Kleinfelder, and her two talented freshmen began to rebuild the listless women's squad into a strong Ivy contender.

"They were the beginning," says Kleinfelder. "They set the tone; they set the intensity. They wanted more competition--better competition--and expected a higher level of player, too. Along with (last year's captain) Katherine Fulton, they were the ones that changed Harvard women's basketball."

No Problem

To Curry, basketball has always come easy. The genial 5'8" Quincy House senior from Largo, MD., is a "natural" on the court--there is something effortless about her shooting, her movements, and her control of the team.

Curry has cornered the market on hoopster records in her four years with the cagers. She's Harvard's all-time leading point scorer and inbounder, as well as owning the mark for cover assists. Plus she's the single-season pacesetter in all three.

Wendy Carle, another Quincy House senior with a warm, unassuming manner, is a different kind of basketball player. A relative newcomer to the sport, Carle's natural athletic ability and determination have enabled the quiet Texan to rise above the average varsity hoopster.

Down and Up

Choosing to spend time in a number of spots, Carle has raked up an impressive list of accomplishments: a Harvard outdoor field record in the javelin throw (128' 8"), a spot on the National handball team two years running, and selection as first-string all-Ivy soccer goalie this past fall--the first time she'd ever played the sport.

While individually successful, Carle and Curry are above all team players. You can see it in the way they bring the ball down the floor, steady their less-experienced teammates, set up plays, and pass off to the hot hand for the open shot.

Mailgram

Their efforts, not surprisingly, have had a powerful impact on the squad. Said one freshman hoopster who wished to remain anonymous: "I guess I sort of idolize those two. They've taught me more than just basketball; about how not to get scared before finals, and about myself."

It's clear that Carle and Curry will be missed next year. The absence of their leadership and steadying influence will leave a serious void in this young and inexperienced team and of course their basketball skills will be hard to replace.