Mike Vukonich originally didn't want to come to Harvard and three years ago it seemed like maybe he shouldn't have.

The freshman Vukonich, who is now affectionately known as Vuke, reeked of his Duluth, Minn. upbringing, and his matriculation at Harvard was straight out of the trite tradition of "small-town kid comes to big city."

Vuke's Great White North accent was a sharp contrast to stodgy Hahvahd rapport. His simple values didn't seem to fit in with the hustle-bustle of the nation's top university. His friendliness and down-to-earth personality were a far cry from the Hobbesian world of urban Boston.

When the pure and naive Vuke arrived in Cambridge, he would walk through Harvard Square and say "Good Morning" to everyone he passed by, getting depressed when people returned the greeting with funny looks. When Vuke failed his first test at Harvard, an Ec 10 hourly, he looked at himself as the only mistake Harvard had made in 350 years.

But Vukonich came to Harvard to play hockey, and then-wizard recruiter and Assistant Coach Ronn Tomassoni made no mistake in recruiting the 6-ft., 3-in. 215-lb. standout. Vukonich put on a Crimson uniform in 1987 with the best recruiting class in the country--which also included classmates Peter Ciavaglia, Ted Donato and John Weisbrod.

Now, after four glorious years wearing number 29, Vuke has emerged as one of the best players in college hockey. Many people, including players on the Harvard team, consider him to be the best of his prominent classmates and the most legitimate NHL prospect on the Crimson squad.

"He's an awfully skilled hockey player," Tomassoni said. "He's really a complete package. He's got the size, he's got the speed, he's got a cannon of a shot and he's an excellent skater."

"There's not much denying that Vuke's the best pro prospect that Harvard's had in years," Weisbrod said. "Vuke lacks nothing."

A fifth-round draftee of the Los Angeles Kings in 1987, Vukonich hopes to eventually join The Great One in Smogville.

"Obviously, when you look at the NHL they put a premium on size and he's definitely got that," Tomassoni said. "And he's got a lot more ability than a lot of players who are in the NHL."

Vuke's immediate plans, however, are to attend the Olympic Festival in July, where he hopes to be chosen as a member of the 1992 United States Olympic Team.

Mellow Yellow

In many ways, Vuke's small-town Midwestern background translates onto the playing surface. He is a gentle giant of sorts whose mellow persona on the ice makes few realize just how good a player he is. He is not one to yell in the pre-game locker room, nor get involved in pointless brawls. He gets the job done casually and quietly.

"I'm a big person and maybe I should be out there killing guys, but that's not my mentality," Vukonich said. "It's not that I'm afraid of the rough stuff. I'd just rather take the puck and go with it."

When Vukonich takes the puck and goes with it, he flies. At a recent practice Vukonich raced Assistant Coach and speedy 1989 Hobey Baker Award-winner Lane MacDonald in a race to see if the rest of the team would have to do wind sprints. Vukonich prevailed and practice ended early.