“[These trips are] the thing that we have to fundraise for, do clinics for, [and] solicit donations [for], and those are the things where we look [to] save money,” she said.
While she did not offer the budgetary breakdown, she said that the team draws financial supports from its “friends group.” Most Harvard programs have similar groups, largely comprising alumni who help fund various efforts and activities.
She added that the softball program fundraises during its roadtrips. While the team does what it can to save, she said the funding from the Athletics Department is crucial.
“There is no way we would tolerate not being able to be a competitive team in the Northeast region,” she said.
Director of Athletics Robert L. Scalise did not return requests for comment on the OPE report or on the financial direction of the department.
—Staff writer E. Benjamin Samuels can be reached at samuels@college.harvard.edu.