Angela Ruggiero--1998 Olympic Gold Medalist--did everything on and off the ice to make her first two years at Harvard the greatest two years in the history of Harvard women's ice hockey. She has been the best defenseman in collegiate hockey and the leading scorer at her position each of the last two seasons. Few would question her status as the best defender in the world.

The memories of her play in the clutch are still fresh: her game-tying assist in the 1999 ECAC final, her lead-off goal in the 1999 National final, and her scorching slapshot from the blueline in last year's fatal loss to Dartmouth that would have saved Harvard's season had it not been stolen out of the air by Amy Ferguson's high glove.

Those memories will have to be savored for now, because Ruggiero will not be seen in a Crimson uniform for the next two years. In the meantime, she will join the U.S. National Team in Lake Placid, N.Y. to devote herself full-time to training for the 2002 Olympic Games, before returning to Harvard the following September.

The National Team Exodus

"It was by far the hardest decision I've ever had to make," Ruggiero said. "I was right in the mix, excited to play at Harvard and take my junior classes, but to take a year off right now--it was so hard to say goodbye."

It was expected that the Olympics would deprive college hockey of its best players in the 2001-02 season. Ruggiero and co-captain Jennifer Botterill had planned on postponing their senior seasons to play for the American and Canadian National Teams, respectively.