Crimson’s Crowds Are Back! 

Returning to campus after a long summer break means one thing: countless opportunities to spectate and support all the fall athletes taking the stage in the 2025 season. With the ever-growing competitiveness of Harvard as both a top academic institution and a sporting hub of talent, grit and ambition, fall sports teams begin their seasons with the addition of exciting prospects to showcase the results of their endurance and hard work during preseason. Now that the school year has started, here’s what to expect from the teams as they face high-level Ivy League and national opponents.

Women’s soccer: Both the women’s and men’s soccer teams are back in full swing with competitive games early in the season. Harvard women’s soccer opened with matches against UMass and Fairfield, both resulting in 2-1 defeats, and a 0-0 draw against Kansas State. The team followed with a 2-1 loss to Monmouth and a 1-1 draw with local rival Northeastern. Their Ivy League home opener against Dartmouth on Sept. 20 looks to open an extremely competitive conference season, with Yale and Princeton highlighting the depth of the league’s athletic talent. Last season, Harvard went 3-3-1 in Ivy League play and qualified for the Ivy League tournament despite their heavily injured roster. The 2025 season offers a chance to compete for the championship again, with the addition of first-years and the return of players such as 2023 Ivy League Rookie of the Year Ólöf Kristinsdóttir ’27. 

Men’s soccer: Like the women’s team, the Harvard men’s soccer has been back since early August in preparation for the 2025 season. A first-year class of nine players adds an exciting range to the team, whilst senior athletes lead by example and welcome them into the Crimson family. After finishing tied for fourth place in the Ivy League standings in their 2024 season, the team will be hungry to convert this season into an opportunity to compete in the Ivy League Tournament championship. Thunderstorms did not stop their first competitive game, which resulted in a battling 1-0 loss against Belmont. They followed with a 2-0 away win over Providence College. On Sept. 27, the Ivy League season opens for men’s soccer with a guaranteed thriller against Princeton on the Crimson’s home field. 

Women’s rugby: Harvard women’s rugby continues to prove year-in and year-out their ability to dominate in all their appearances. The team reinforced this once again in their home opener against the American International College Yellow Jackets, with a supreme 55-7 victory followed by a professional 26-17 victory over Lindenwood this past weekend. An exciting 2025-2026 season looms with many players recording their first career appearances. Upcoming games include their Ivy Home Opener and Friends and Family Weekend on Sept. 13 against Brown. After concluding their previous season with their third rugby 15s NIRA Championship victory, the team has moved up a division, making them a spectacle to follow at Mignone Field.

Field hockey: Beginning the season ranked No. 8 in the NFHCA Division Preseason Coaches Poll, Harvard field hockey recently traveled to California to face off against UC Berkeley and Stanford for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown. The Crimson came out on top in both games with thrilling overtime victories. After winning the Ivy League Tournament back-to-back, the team hopes to return to the NCAA tournament and come home champions. The team’s home opener against Ohio State on Sept. 12 looks to be an exciting contest. 

Men’s water polo: Starting the season ranked No.16 in the country, Harvard men’s water polo hosted the competitive Bruno Classic and Harvard Invitational at Blodgett Pool. The Crimson earned three wins in their opening weekend, beating Bucknell (15-12), Gannon (16-10), and Wagner (13-9). They continued their success at Princeton, losing narrowly to California Baptist and Navy and securing a nail-biting overtime win against Bucknell. Starting Sept.12, they head across the country to California to take on top-level opponents, including UCLA and Long Beach. The team’s strong defense continues to impress with Oliver Price ’27 picking up the NWPC Defensive Player of the Week. 

Women’s volleyball: Harvard women’s volleyball opened its season on Sept. 5 with away games in Florida, resulting in three losses to North Florida, Howard, and Presbyterian. The season home opener will take place on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. against Washington State, as the MAC will once again be packed full of Crimson action and its sporting community. 

Football: Returning from summer strength and conditioning training, football players have filled Harvard’s stadium once again as they prepare for the start of their 2025 season. The development of the Football Championship Subdivision this year adds a thrilling new edge to Harvard’s football season, involving a new championship to compete for alongside the Ivy League Championship that offers the team post-season games and competition. The team works towards back-to-back Ivy League championships after bringing home the 2024 title. Their first game is against Stetson University on Sept. 20 in Florida, followed by a home Ivy League opener and official #OneCrimson Game against Brown on Sept. 27. 

Cross Country: The Cross country team’s preparation for their season continues, as they travelled to Chestnut Hill for a warm contest with Boston College on Sept. 5. Later this October, the team will travel to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University. After such a strong performance at the competition last year, the women’s team took first spot and the men’s in a close second, ambitions could be set to make the double this year. The NCAA Cross Country Championships in November marks the ambitious end goal for the Cross country team, as many impressive Harvard runners strive to prove their athletic status and talent to the sporting nation. 

All students are able to attend Harvard’s sporting events using free student admissions, allowing the college community to support Harvard’s student athletes as they passionately compete on the nation’s sporting stages. 

Tilly Butterworth ’28 (mbutterworth@college.harvard.edu) will be attending all sports events under the sun this semester.