"The most important thing is personal qualities," Cleary says. "She [Zalot] is young and enthusiastic and has good knowledge of compliance. She has a feeling for what it is to be an athlete, to be with coaches."

With such a strong athletic background, it is no surprise that Zalot spends her free time on the playing field. She describes herself as an avid golfer and plays softball and basketball in the summer.

"But," Zalot jokes, "my hobby now is apartment hunting."

Joking aside, Zalot is still learning the ropes at Harvard.

She has begun fundraising for Radcliffe athletic programs, but she is reluctant to define what her exact role at Harvard is. Indeed, some parts of her job description have yet to be fulfilled

"I'm still getting my feet wet," Zalot declares. "It's still baptism under fire."

As for Zalot's first three months on the job, Cleary couldn't be more pleased.

"She has lived up to all the wonderful things we'd heard from the NCAA," Cleary gushed. "She is a joy to have around...There is a lot of life in her. We've been delighted with everything she has done here in such a short time."