“[Coming out of high school] I was open to doing either sport or even both in college but I assumed that at one point I would specialize in only one sport,” Wilson says. “When I committed to Harvard, I had only been in contact with the football program so I came in as a football player only. But after my sophomore football season, I had a few conversations with different coaches and it was eventually decided that participating in track was an opportunity I would be able to pursue. Shortly after that I decided to join the track team.”

The journey to being a two-sport athlete at Harvard is different for each athlete. While Wilson came to Harvard exclusively as a football player, Price arrived on campus with the intention of playing both water polo and soccer.

“Soccer recruiting begins early, so I got a likely to Harvard for that,” Price says. “Then I talked to the water polo coach and she wanted me as well. It’s only at Ivy League schools that you have the potential to do both.”

Both athletes pointed to their coaches as integral parts of their success.

“It was only having great coaches here at Harvard that allowed me to do this,” Price says.

For all the challenges, both Price and Wilson seem to agree that the crowded schedules have been well worth it. Price, who is in the midst of her final season as a Crimson athlete, fondly talks of the overlapping friendships on both teams.

“I think one thing that is nice is that the soccer team will support the water polo events and (vice versa),” Price says. “It is nice that both of them have been able to become friends.”

“The only time I ever was hesitant or skeptical about my decision to play two sports was during the decision-making process,” Wilson says. “Once I decided to join the track team, I never looked back. I would never give up the friendships Harvard football has afforded me.”

Not only are the student-athletes happy, but they have also succeeded at both sports. Price was a contributor throughout her career for the women’s soccer team. This spring, she is a co-captain for the water polo team.

Wilson has had an illustrious career of his own. Last year, he won two Ivy League championships in the span of three months. The football team took the Ivy League title, and Wilson individually won the 60-meter dash Ivy League Championship.

“That was very exciting, given all the work that went into it,” he says.

—Staff writer Jacob W. Lynch can be reached at jacoblynch@college.harvard.edu.