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War Refugee Headlines Stellar W. Hoops Class

Webber, Rose, King, and Howard? Try Lee, Dunham, Peljto and Tubridy.

Now that's a "Fab Four."

Four new recruits will represent the Class of 2004 on the Harvard women's basketball team this year. Guards Jen Lee and Dirkje Dunham and forwards Hana Peljto and Patricia Tubridy should all make contributions to this season's squad, which has a legitimate chance to compete for a title in a wide-open Ivy League.

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"What a class!" said Harvard Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith. "They're learning quickly. They fit in perfectly. We're very excited about our new additions."

All four freshmen should see playing time this year, as Delaney-Smith hopes to use a 10-player rotation, analogous to Billy Donovan's successful system in the men's program at the University of Florida.

The most intriguing recruit may be Peljto, who hails from Minnesota but is originally from Bosnia. Averaging 27.2 points and 13.0 rebounds a game during her senior season at Osseo High School while leading her team to a State Championship, Peljto was named the Associated Press and Gatorade State Player of the Year.

Peljto and her family emigrated from Bosnia to the United States in 1995. It was a long trek for Peljto as she and her family escaped war in Bosnia, moving to nearby Slovenia. It was there that Peljto picked up basketball.

"My gym teacher showed me a basketball when I was 11 years old," Peltjo said. "He thought it would be beneficial for me to learn how to play because I was tall."

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