So what does Locker have to do to make hishouse look like that of Virginia head coach andliving legend Bruce Arena?
The answer is the in players.
"My goal is to chip away and begin to get sameplayers that would otherwise go to UVA," Lockersaid.
With the recruitment and arrival of juniornational player and freshman sensation WillKohler, along with three of his teammates fromPhiladelphia, Locker has started the process of"chipping away" or rather refurbishing the oncecrumbling shack he inherited from Getman.
And Locker projects that Harvard will reach thelevel at which teams like Virginia and Duke playwithin two years.
"Our skill has already grown dramatically,"Locker said. "And it will continue to do so untilwe reach the plateau of the top-20 teams in thecountry."
Locker's confidence is contagious, and he hasbrought an excitement to the program that has longbeen absent.
Veterans of last year's team worked together onsnowcovered fields last winter and have showngreat commitment, according to Locker.
"I have a philosophy that stresses my kidshaving fun," Locker said. "But I am probably oneof the biggest competitors you'll ever meet, and Itold my boys that it won't be fun if you're notwinning."
5) Can Frank Sullivan turn the men'sbasketball program around?
Men's basketball coach Frank Sullivan arrivedat Harvard two years ago with high hopes. Asuccessful coach at the Division II level,Sullivan had played for now-UNLV coach RollieMassamino at Lexington High School and served asan assistant coach to Seton Hall coaching guruP.J. Carlissmo for several years.
Soon after his arrival, Sports Illustrated rana feature story that listed Sullivan as one of thecoaching world's next generation of potentialstars. Sullivan himself talked of "establishing awinning tradition."
So what happened? Sullivan started out 0-11 andfinished 6-20 with a team inherited from formercoach Peter Roby. The next year, Sullivan went6-20 again.
This year, Sullivan finally gets to play hisown recruits--and by extension, he is on triallike never before. Is the 6-20 record a fluke?Harvard, with its diverse student body from acrossthe country, has many basketball fans waiting fora winning team, and Sullivan has failed to inspirethem so far.
Sullivan's top recruit this year is KyleSnowden, a 6'6" forward from Thayer Academy who isexpected to anchor an inexperienced frontcourt.
Snowden is regarded as one of Boston's finesthigh school basketball players and could be thestart of a line of recruits which could carryHarvard men's basketball to its first Ivy Leaguetitle in 92 years.
Then again, maybe not. Time will tell.
Doesn't it always, though.
Y. Tarek Farouki, Joseph M. Mathews and JohnB. Trainer contributed to the reporting andwriting of this article.