"Jen went from nothing to starting, and that was hard," Hadrick says. "I was jealous. I guess it wasn't my turn yet."

Things did not get any easier for Hadrick as a junior. One of the most talented group of first years ever to arrive on the Harvard basketball scene took more critical playing time from Hadrick's limited supply.

Erin Maher quickly established herself as one of the most potent three point shooters in the country, and Debbie Flandermeyer began to carve out what has become her permanent spot in the paint.

Hadrick did average 7.9 p.p.g. and dished out 50 assists in limited minutes, but she had not yet achieved the position that her classmates had, starting only three times all season.

"My confidence has been a huge problem for me all my life," Hadrick says." And it was hard not playing games. I would get angry when [Kathy] would tell me how excited she was about my potential. I would blame her, which is wrong, instead of looking within myself."

Team Leader

After two frustrating seasons on the court, however, her teammates named the rising junior as their captain, an honor they would bestow on Hadrick once again for her final campaign.

"I didn't understand why they chose me," Hadrick says. "How was I going to lead the team when I was not on the floor? I guess my definition of captain was sort of limited. It would have been easier to be a superstar and captain."

Hadrick may have doubted herself, but her teammates have never questioned her importance to the team.

"Dina's not always one to give herself credit," Mazanee says. "She doesn't always see what her commitment to this program means to us. It's the backbone of the team. She has put her personal playing time problem aside for the benefit of the team."

"She has had to play a lot of different roles at different times, and you never see her complaining," Kosh says. "It shows you what an amazing person she is."

Last Hurrah

After a dramatic 61-59 victory over Dartmouth to end last season, the mood on the team was upbeat, and Hadrick shared in the optimism. She embarked on an intense training program at the beginning of last summer, but a case of mononucleosis thwarted her efforts.

Hadrick says she still felt the effects of her illness during the early part of the season, and, to make matters worse, she pulled both quadricep muscles on the first official day of practice.

"For nine years I was pushing myself and I thought maybe it was time for it to be over," Hadrick says. "I thought 'Maybe God doesn't want me to be doing this right now.' Hard work is me, and I couldn't do it."