W. Basketball: Movin' on Up

As the sport of women's basketball has grown stronger and more competitive around the country, the Harvard women's team has been able to follow this popular trend. With an automatic bid to the NCAA's as the result of winning this year's regular season Ivy League title, Harvard has demonstrated that it is a force to be reckoned with on a national level.

What emerged as an equal-opportunity sport at Harvard in 1974 has become one of the most successful teams at Harvard. The inception of women's basketball began with a team of enthusiastic freshmen who hadn't played basketball before college.

When the inexperienced women's team resembled a recreational sport rather than a college varsity sport, complaints were voiced and significant changes were implemented for the first major season in 1977. After hiring a full-time basketball coach and reaching out for experienced players, the Division II women's team posted a 18-3 season in '76-'77.

In the next couple of years, coach Carole Kleinfelder made attempts to raise the caliber of opponents and build up the program. While pursuing the opportunity to move up to the Division I Ivy League, and creating an annual Harvard Invitational made up of top ranked national teams, Harvard had difficulty demonstrating its potential.

After a number of losing seasons, including an embarrassing 3-22 season in 1983, Harvard was again compelled to make serious alterations to its women's program.

Kathy Delaney-Smith, a former Massachusetts coach of the year who helped lead Westwood High to a state championship, was appointed the new head coach in 1983. Committed to improving Harvard's program, she actively recruited state and national all-scholastic athletes.

Delaney-Smith's first season resulted in a victorious 20-7 record, and Harvard's first Ivy League title. Nevertheless, despite the accomplishment, Harvard did not receive an invitation for the post-season playoffs.

In the next few years, plans for the Crimson's future success were laid. With an emphasis on increasing the team's power and depth, the Harvard team was able to rise above its conference opponents into a more competitive arena. The team posted a 13-3 record in 1986-87, followed by a 21-5 season in 1988. In the same year, the Crimson achieved its second Ivy League crown.

In 1988, Harvard last played against this year's NCAA challenger Vanderbilt in the Harvard Invitational. Harvard lost 94-67.

Despite this defeat, Harvard continued its winning ways for its next three seasons, obtaining a third Ivy league crown in 1991 with a 17-9 (12-2 Ivy) record. The Crimson started the season out with an 11-0 run, but were stopped from being the only team in women's Ivy League basketball to go undefeated in league play. Harvard was again disappointed when it was not granted another NCAA bid.

It wasn't until the following year when the NCAA expanded its playoff pool from 32 teams to 64 teams that the Ivy league was granted an automatic bid. Harvard's intense non-conference challenges throughout the 1980's were helpful in gaining Harvard and the other Ivy League schools respect as a top-level programs. By 1993, Harvard had demonstrated to the NCAA's that it was able of compete on a national level with teams that offer player scholarships.

The following year, however, put a hold on NCAA goals as the team, plagued by costly injuries, went 7-19 in 1994. Harvard bounced back last year with a 19-7 season, but lost to Dartmouth and finished second in the Ivy league. This loss was the driving force behind the team's determination and success story in 1996.

The 1996 women's season has been storybook perfect. After posting a thirteen game winning streak, Harvard captured its fourth Ivy league title and achieved its goal of qualifying for the NCAA's.

"Going to the NCAA's is frosting on the cake," Delaney-Smith said.

Harvard's determination, tenacity and skill has proven that it can compete on a level with high profile, non-conference, scholarship schools, qualifying Harvard as a team capable of playing in the emerging sport of women's college basketball.