Weekly Sports Preview: September 24–October 1
Graphic by Emma Crago
It’s the week of Ivy League openers for Harvard Athletics, and three teams are starting official conference play. Fans have plenty of fun in store this week, with two featured games this Saturday—women’s rugby at Mignone Field and women’s volleyball at the Malkin Athletic Center.
Women’s Rugby (2–0)
This Saturday’s home game against Dartmouth, scheduled for a 2 p.m. kickoff, will pit the women’s rugby team against its toughest regular-season rival. This long-standing rivalry, dubbed “Battle of the Ivies,” features the two teams that have collectively secured every National Intercollegiate Rugby Association Division I national championship title since 2019. After a second-place finish to Dartmouth in 2022, the Crimson launched a historic “three-peat” championship streak, largely driven by two recent graduates: all-time program leader in tries scored and total points, Lennox London ’26, and program assist leader and 2025-26 captain Tiahna Padilla ’26. With their graduation, this game will be a critical test of the leadership abilities of captains Ava Ference ’27, Eseta Pale ’28, and Courtney Taylor ’27 as they look to secure a fourth consecutive national title. For fans who make the trip to Mignone Field, this featured matchup will include food trucks, giveaways, and the opportunity to meet women’s rugby’s reigning champions.
Men’s Soccer (1–4–1)
This Saturday at 4 p.m., men’s soccer heads to Ithaca, New York, for its Ivy League opener against Cornell. After a series of tough ties and losses in non-conference tests, the Crimson will face the No. 2 Ivy League preseason pick in what will likely be one of their most difficult regular-season games. Players to watch in this matchup will include captain Andreas Savva ’27, who tied for the Crimson’s top point-scorer last season, and reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Adam Poliakov ’29, who led the team in goals during his six-goal debut season.
Women’s Soccer (6–2–1)
At 4 p.m. on Saturday, the women’s soccer team will play its Ivy opener at Princeton, the reigning Ivy League champions. Coming off a five-game win streak, highlighted by their 6–4 win against then-No. 6 University of Alabama, the Crimson is striving to secure a statement victory early in conference play. Keep an eye on captain and Icelandic senior national team member Ólöf Kristinsdóttir ’27, who, since being named Ivy League Rookie of the Year, has become one of the Crimson’s leading goal and assist leaders.
Field Hockey (5–1)
At 12 p.m. on Saturday, the Ivy League preseason No. 1 Crimson will host No. 2 pick Princeton on Berylson Field. Having gone 1–0 in conference play so far after a victorious opener at Dartmouth, the Crimson will look to use this game to solidify their place at the top of the Ivy League. Watch for 2024 Ivy Tournament Most Outstanding Player Martha le Huray ’28, whose dangerous corner insertions frequently set up goals and assists for teammates like Rosa Kooijmans ’29. After their second semifinal appearance in program history, a victory for the Crimson in this game will set the tone for the rest of their conference season.
Women’s Volleyball (9–0)
Another Ivy League opener will take place this week, marking the start of conference play for a team with an undefeated season. On Saturday at 3 p.m., women’s volleyball will face Dartmouth at the Malkin Athletic Center. Despite a modest sixth-place prediction in Ivy League preseason polls, the Crimson kicked off their season with an incredible nine-game winning streak—the best season start in program history—and proved that they should not be overlooked as conference contenders. The Crimson lead the all-time series against Dartmouth and have won the last six meetings. This game will give Harvard a chance to ease into conference play as it looks to secure its first Ivy League Tournament berth since 2023. Expect breakout players to play a critical role in extending the team’s record-breaking win streak, including first-year Kayla Nwabueze ’30, who led the Crimson in kills during their recent game against Providence. Spectators who join for the team’s featured “Pack the MAC” game can expect food, giveaways, and (knock on wood) a 10th consecutive victory for the Crimson.
Men’s Golf
This weekend, the men’s golf team will travel to Yale for the MacDonald Cup. After a two-year hiatus, this is the tournament’s first iteration since Harvard last competed in it in 2023, when it tied for fifth place. The Crimson is coming off its first Ivy League championship since 2017, with Ieuan Jones ’28 and current captain William Ma ’28 both placing in the top five and Barry Zhang ’28 ultimately winning the individual Ivy Championship. Look for Ma to grow as a team leader this weekend on the No. 1 college golf course in the United States.
Women’s Golf
This Saturday, women’s golf travels to New Jersey for the Princeton Invitational. The Crimson finished fourth here last year, carried by a fourth-place individual finish by Vanessa Zhang ’28. Zhang, the Ivy League Individual Champion her freshman year and winner of back-to-back first-place medals in the final two tournaments of last year’s season, should remain a powerhouse on the course this season, alongside notable returners Bonnie Zhai ’27 and Lucy Yuan ’28. Meanwhile, watch first-year Rayee Feng ’30, who finished fourth at her first collegiate tournament earlier this month.
Sailing
This weekend is packed for the Crimson sailing team, which will split its roster across four different regattas. Though the splits have yet to be announced, fans can expect an exciting weekend. The Eagle Invitational, hosted by Boston College, will be a single-day event this Saturday, while the other three are two-day competitions. The team will look to reclaim its Hood Trophy victory, which it won the last time it participated in this regatta in 2024 at Tufts, and secure a Sherman Hoyt Trophy victory at Brown after a fifth-place finish last year. The Mrs. Hurst Bowl, hosted by Dartmouth, is a historic women’s regatta where leaders like captain Zoey Ziskind ’27 are sure to shine. In addition to the graduation of twin brothers and All-American program legends Justin and Mitchell Callahan ’26, last year’s Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association Open Singlehand National Champion, Robby Meek ’27, is notably absent from this year’s roster. With major leadership gaps to be filled, this weekend will be an opportunity for other Crimson talent to make waves as the season ramps up.
The start of Ivy League play makes this one of the most important weeks for several Harvard teams, as they emerge from preseason to set the tone for the rest of their seasons. If there was ever a time to tune into your favorite Harvard sports, it’s now!
Lucy Duncan ’28 (lduncan@college.harvard.edu) writes Sports for the “Harvard Independent.”