“They are a versatile group of speed and talent who can just play the game,” Peljto said.

One of these fantastic freshmen is Chicago native Shana Franklin, a 2001 Nike All-American, can knock down the triple and has tremendous court presence.

“Shana Franklin is just money,” Delaney-Smith said about the 6’1 guard.

Harvard will also be aided by the “Twin Towers,” as Delaney-Smith refers to Maureen McCaffery and Kathryn Mannering, who was a Street & Smith All-American honorable mention.

The pair of six-footers will give the Crimson a formidable second line in the frontcourt.

“They’re going to have awesome careers here,” Delaney-Smith said.

The rookies alleviate the gap left by senior forward Sarah Johnson, who quit the team this preseason. Johnson, one of Harvard’s leading scorers off the bench, cited several reasons for leaving, including knee problems and a heart condition.

“Most importantly, it was not making me happy anymore, as it once did,” Johnson said. “My passion for the game had paled, and that is not fair to my teammates. They work so hard and deserve so much more.”

The freshmen class’ impact doesn’t end with the frontcourt. Harvard’s backcourt will be strengthened by the addition of freshman Jessica Hosley. Hosley received Street & Smith All-American and McDonald All-American honorable mention accolades and was ranked the No. 18 point guard for the class of 2002 by the All-Star Girl’s Report. Hosley’s quickness and ability to penetrate adds versatility to the Crimson backcourt, which also features junior transfer student Bev Moore, freshman Laura Robertson, and sophomore Dirkje Dunham.

Harvard’s many point guard possibilities help fill the void left by Jenn Monti ’02, a two-time Second Team all-Ivy selection that engineered the Ivies’ most powerful offense last year.

Dunham brings lightning speed and intimidating on-the-ball defense. Primarily a utility player and shooting guard last year, Dunham looks to step up into the role of point guard.

“This year, I am focusing primarily on being a point guard so my offensive role will be to communicate our plays and set the tempo,” Dunham said.

Sharp-shooter Moore will most likely join Dunham in the Crimson’s starting lineup after sitting out last season due to the NCAA transfer rule. Moore played for two seasons at Louisiana Tech, where she played in 24 games.

“She’s just like no guard I’ve ever had,” Delaney-Smith said. “She can single-handedly crush a defense.”

Junior forward Tricia Tubridy had difficulty adjusting to the new flex offense, but still managed to set a Wildcat Classic record with a career-high 19 rebounds against Idaho State. Throughout the season, Tubridy proved to be a threat on offense and a presence on the boards.