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Brains and Brawn

“At the end of the season I want to look back and say I did my job as hard as I could all the time, and that’s why we were successful,” Williamson says.

The senior’s hard work has certainly paid off in the eyes of his coaches.

“He had high hopes that didn’t work out, he fought through a little bit of adversity, and now, after four years here, he’s really blossomed in all regards,” Murphy says.

Even this season has been tinged with adversity. Williamson played no part in Harvard’s 34-24 win over Cornell on October 9. He was to be found not on the field or on the sidelines, but in the hospital, where he had spent the night fighting viral meningitis.

“That was not a fun experience,” Williamson says.

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What began with a persistent headache and led to a spinal tap didn’t keep Williamson off the field for long—he picked up two tackles in the next week’s win over Northeastern.

Intelligent athletes aren’t rarities at Harvard, but Williamson’s indefatigability is exceptional.

As an honors-track bio major and a dedicated football player, Williamson has gained a mastery of the time management skills essential to balancing his heavy commitments.

Last spring was the worst for Williamson. His days began with a 6:30 a.m. wake-up. After lifting or running for preseason training, he headed to classes and labs for the rest of the day, went back to his room immediately, did as much work as possible, and took a three-hour MCAT class twice a week. On returning from class, he filled his evenings with work until an 11-12 p.m. bedtime.

“By the end of the semester, I was a zombie,” Williamson says. “But I had to do it, and it paid off.”

Reconciling practice and watching film with marathons in the lab actually helps Williamson manage his life.

“[Football] really does provide a lot of structure. By having a limited amount of time I can get other stuff done, it makes that time that much more important to organize,” Williamson says.

During his senior year, Williamson has had to make a few compromises. He’s trying to take an easier schedule than before, but football picks up whatever slack he lets out.

“Once football’s over, then gears shift to ‘OK, football’s over, so let’s get out into the real world,’” Williamson says.

By that, he means medical school, and a good one—Williamson has applied to Harvard, Duke, Stanford, Washington University, Johns Hopkins, BU, Pitt, UNC-Chapel Hill, UC-San Diego and UC-San Francisco.

While his intent to study medicine is certain, what he may do with his degree remains unclear.

After expressing interest in neurobiology, Williamson adds, “I also love athletes. I love being around athletes, and I could definitely see myself being some kind of sports medicine doctor like an orthopedic surgeon or that kind of thing.

“At the same time, I love hanging around kids,” says Williamson, a self-proclaimed “goofball” whose inner child emerges in a love for video games, Looney Tunes and Spongebob Squarepants. “I hang around my little cousins all the time and I really enjoy time with them, so being a pediatrician is another interest of mine.

“I’m not pigeonholing myself yet.”

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