On the Nordic side of the mountain, junior Brad Williams also turned in stronger performances as the season wore on. Williams took 54th in the men's 10-kilometer classic and 49th in the men's freestyle pursuit at the Eastern Championships, tops among Harvard men in the two cross-country events.

Two sophomores led the women's Nordic team. Julia Silvis led the Crimson in the 10K classic at Dartmouth and Williams, best among Harvard women at each carnival. Classmate Kate Damon also came through for the Crimson in the latter half of the season, posting a 42nd-place finish in the freestyle pursuit at Williams and a 56th-place finish in the 10-kilometer classic at Middlebury.

Despite improved individual efforts, however, the nature of collegiate skiing demands that the entirety of the Crimson lineup improve its performance. In Nordic skiing, a school's top three finishers determine its score.

Even if the Crimson can continue to attract top individual talent, team success will only come with improvement everywhere.

Despite finishing at the low end of the standings, the teams showed steady improvement throughout the season. Perhaps the results are not yet apparent, but there is certainly a foundational work ethic that bodes well for next winter.