Harvard’s softball team boasts a special pair of co-captains this year: Ellen Macadam and Emily Henderson. Not only do they work well together on the field, they’ve also built a relationship as roommates for the past three years.

But together, the pair has not had as much success as they would have liked for their team. After finishing second, third, and second again in the Ivy League, the two are hoping to win a championship—this year more than ever.

“We’ve had so many great seasons and one not so great one. We’ve had a lot of disappointing endings,” Macadam reflects. “But I think it’s left us with a lot of drive and hunger to really make this season what we want it to be.”

What both want is for the team to come out on top and win an Ivy title. Furthermore, they hope to communicate this goal to the team, and it sounds like they certainly have.

“They’ve been pushing us so hard in the off-season, we can tell they really want [the championship],” junior pitcher Rachel Brown says.

It’s a twin thing

When Macadam and Henderson journeyed to Cambridge from Atlanta, Georgia, and San Jose, California, respectively, the pair clicked from the start.

“Even on our recruiting trip, we hung out with each other right away,” Henderson says. “It was automatic. I was very comfortable with Ellen right away, and I hope she was with me.”

Over the years the two have spent a lot of time together, both in season and out. They dine, study, practice, lift, and organize team-bonding activities together. They share a room in Winthrop and a love of comedian Brian Regan and cookies (Henderson is touted as the “best baker ever”).  The two are also known to show up at team meals unintentionally wearing the same outfit.

“Emily will leave for class, and we will be wearing the same thing by accident,” Macadam says, amused. “Everyone on the team laughs about it.”

“Happens all the time!” Henderson adds.

For new members of the team especially, it’s hard not to get the two seniors confused.

“A lot of girls on the team can say they have mixed up their names so many times,” Brown jokes.

Harvard Charmers

Individually, the two have had very successful careers in the Crimson uniform.