Hope springs eternal in all endeavors.

With each freshman class, each September, come new athletes to compete for the crimson and white. Within this group, every Harvard coach hopes to find the next All-Ivy player, the next superstar.

September is a time when all teams stand equal with 0-0 marks, when all coaches hold equally great expectations for the future--in this case, for the future of the Class of 1990.

Take, for example, the tale of two teams.

The Harvard women's basketball team came out of nowhere last winter to capture its first-ever Ivy Championship with a 20-7 record. The men hoopsters, meanwhile, struggled home with a 6-20 mark.

But both squads are expecting great things from the '90ers.

The women cagers are out to defend their Ivy League title, for which purpose they pulled in four top prospects.

.Heidi Kosh of Hamden, Conn.: 5-ft., 7-in. Kosh is a point-and shooting guard, as well as a good penetrator. A strong defensive player, she is a former Junior Olympics star.

.Melinda Nelson of Waterville, Maine.: 6-ft., 2-in. "She's our first true center," Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney Smith says of Nelson.

.Sandy Springer of Ashbey, Mass.: 6-ft., 2-in. "She has phenomonal jumping ability, Delaney Smith says. "She's our diamond in the rough."

.Jody Fink of Amherst, Mass.: 6-ft. "She has very good athletic ability, and she runs the floor well," Delaney Smith says.

The new recruits join a team that has not reached its full potential, a team that promises to continue improving over the coming season.

On the other end of Briggs Cage, the story is both similar and different.

The Harvard men's basketball team is coming off a highly disappointing season, but prospects are beginning to improve with standout Arne Duncan returning from a year off for his senior year.

The men cagers pulled in five recruits to bolster an already young team: Scott Gilly of Washington, D.C.: 6-ft., 3-in.; Brian Mackey (son of Cleveland State basketball Coach Kevin Mackey) of Cleveland, Ohio.: 6-ft., 4-in.; Brian Perlich of Bethesda, Maryland.: 6-ft., 5-in.; Sean Duffy of New York, N.Y.: 6-ft, 7-in.; and Malcolm Hollensterner of New York, N.Y.: 6-ft., 10-in.

With the influx of new talent, the men cagers just might surprise some of its Ivy opponents this year.

A composite list of Harvard baseball recruits who hope to make Soldiers Field their home for four years includes: catchers Chris Francazio and Tim Ray; pitchers Michael Dorrington, Andy Hotgmer, Bob Baxter, Vic McGrady and John Morency; first basemen Brian Sieger and Tim Sweeny; infielders Dave O'Connell, Jeff Amorosana, Andy Kohan and Tim Hurley; outfielder Greg Agran.

After winning the Ivy League championship last year and reaching the NCAA tournament, the Harvard men's tennis team is looking forward to establishing itself as one of the top teams in the collegiate ranks again.

To bolster its chances, the netmen racked up seven prospects: Roger Berry (ranked in the top 10 in New England) of Holden, Mass.; Mark Leschley of Princeton, N.J.; Richard Boulware of Las Vegas, Nev.; Steve Zang of New York, N.Y.; Ken Hao of northern California; and Rob Soni of Miami, Fla.

The Harvard women's tennis squad equaled its male counterpart with an undefeated Ivy slate last year--and the women have four recruits and one transfer arriving: Nicole Rival of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; Mimi Kaufmen of Newton, Mass.; Christina Dragomirescu of Long Island, N.Y.; and Stacy Greenebaum of Louisville, Ky. Floridian Cindy Phillips is a junior transfer from Tufts University.

The four-time defending Ivy champion men's squash team will try to extend its victory streak of 47 consecutive matches. Gone is the great Kenton Jernigan, but able and ready racquetmen are set to take up the slack.

John Bernheimer of Welleslley, Mass. (ranked in the top three in the junior circut); John Mashland of Philadelphia, Penn.; and Seth Handy of Providence, R.I. are incoming freshmen. The two transfers are Doug Cohen (from Brown) and James Gilfillan (from the University of Virginia).

The wrestling team snagged three recruits who are anxious to pin down the Ivy League title. Joel SanPedro--who had a 66-3 record in his last two years of high school--will wrestle at the 118-lb. level. Roxbury Latin's Courtney Henery, one of New England's top prep-schoolers a year ago, will compete in the 113-lb. class. Also joining the grapplers is John Willoughby of Cleveland, Ohio, who will wrestle at the 177-lb class.

Four freshmen who should find spots on the Harvard field hockey team are: Char Joslin of Groton, Mass.; Erin O'Brien of Acton, Mass.; Laura Bartlett of Easton, Pa. and Lynn Frangione of New Britain, Conn.

The Crimson laxwomen will look for some scoring help from a promising incoming trio: Sharon Landu of Rye Neck, N.Y.--who tore up many of her state's scoring records--Lisa Cutone of Wilmington, Mass. and Elizabeth Peg of Scarsdale, N.Y.

The Harvard men's lacrosse team surprised many by finishing in a tie for second place in the Ivies last year. The lacrosse team picked up several recruits who should help the laxmen make another bid for the league title this year: Mark Follows of Ontario, Can.; Perry Dodge of Philadelphia, Penn.; Rich Meagher, a high school All-American from Needham, Mass.; Mark Donovan of Syracuse, N.Y.; Dan Berkerey of Wellesley, Mass.; Chris Bentley and David Kramer, who both received All-Long Island honors at Cold Springs Harbor, N.Y.; and Mark Donovan and Craig Costin, teammates from Syracuse, N.Y.

The Harvard women's soccer team added six prospects to a squad that finished fourth in the Ivies last year: Jen Gifford of Concord, Mass.; Amy Green of Short Hills, N.J.; Laurie Hauber of Brighton, Mich.; Andrea Montalbano of Miami, Fla.; Julie Scott of Concord, Mass.; and Chrissy Ulses of Springfield, Mass.

Over at Bright Arena, the Harvard men's hockey team--which lost to Michigan St. in the NCAA final last year, 6-5--would like to return to the national championship in 1987. But this year, the icemen would prefer to bring the NCAA championship trophy home with them.

Five freshmen prospects hope to help the Crimson achieve its goal: Tod Hartje, a center from Anoka, Minn.; Scott McCormack, a ninth-round NHL 1986 draft choice of New Jersey who plays defense; C.J. Young a right wing from Waban, Mass.; John Murphy, a center from Toronto, Ont.; and Brian Popiel, a converted forward.

The Harvard women's squash team finished last season at 6-1, good enough for second place in the Ivies. The racquetwomen will shoot for the league crown this year--and with four freshmen joining a strong corps of returnees, the Crimson figures to be a strong contender. The freshman are Jenny Holleran of Hanover N.H.; Marianna Cahilton of Vineyard Haven, Mass.; Hope Nichols of Katonah, N.Y.; and Mary Harding of Wilmington, Del.

And of course, many Crimson teams will benefit from the contributions of non-recruits and walk-ons--not to mention the two-sport athletes recruited for other squads.