Downing, Shumway, Walton, junior Sarah Winters and sophomore Maureen O'Brien need to bolster a Crimson attack that could only muster 19 goals last season.
Harvard must work on its corner battery until it poses a serious threat to opponents every time and makes good use of Walton's deadly shot.
Co-captain Emily Buxton leads the Crimson defense with sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Milhollin.
Milhollin played every minute of every game in her rookie campaign and compiled a 1.74 goals against average and a .869 save percentage.
Milhollin's play between the pipes may be the deciding factor for a team that has the talent to win the Ivy title (and the automatic NCAA berth) this year.
"Last year Jessica didn't feel she could command the circle," said Assistant Coach Donna Lee, who works specifically with the Crimson netminders. "Her game has matured a lot, and she has confidence in herself and the players in front of her."
Also in the back will be junior Megan Colligan. The Eliot resident moved from the midfield to the sweeper position at midseason last year and will most likely stay there, according to Caples.
For the first time ever, Caples has also had a chance to incorporate her freshman recruits into the preseason.
This year the league changed its rules to allow rookies to participate, and Caples said that some of the freshman will definitely play significant roles this season.
Freshman Courtenay Benedict will join the midfield and rookie Daphne Clark will provide even more depth at the back position.
The Crimson defense as well as its midfield must use its size to establish a physical presence and shut down high scoring Ivy teams like Pennsylvania and Princeton.
But right now, Caples and Crimson are still basking in the relatively stressless period of beginnings.
There is something sad about beginnings too, however. Every beginning must also come to an end.
FIELD HOCKEY Coach: Sue Caples Captains: Francie Walton, Emily Buxton 1992 Overall Record: 4-9-2 1992 Ivy Record: 1-3-2 1992 Ivy Finish: 6th
FIELD HOCKEY: '93 SCHEDULE 9/17 New Hampshire 3:30 p.m. 9/19 at Maine 1:00 p.m. 9/23 at Connecticut 3:30 p.m. 9/26 Providence 1:00 p.m. 9/29 Springfield 3:00 p.m. 10/2 at Cornell 11:00 a.m. 10/6 Boston University 3:30 p.m. 10/9 Pennsylvania 11:00 a.m. 10/13 at Rhode Island 3:30 p.m. 10/16 at Yale 11:00 a.m. 10/20 Boston College 3:00 p.m. 10/23 Princeton 11:00 a.m. 10/27 at Northeastern 3:00 p.m. 10/30 at Dartmouth 12 noon. 11/2 at Brown 2:30 p.m.