Fall ’25 Recap of Indy Sports Coverage

Let’s face the facts: Harvard rarely makes national headlines for its sports culture. Aside from the one obvious exception—“The Game”—realistically, the average Harvard student would seldom find themselves on the other side of the Charles River. However, that does not mean Harvard College lacks a sports culture entirely.

For Harvard sports enthusiasts, even if they are few and far between, being a student puts them at the center of excellent athletic entertainment. Whether that be through our proximity to Boston, a city with arguably one of the most flourishing professional sports scenes, or simply by looking within the gates of our campus, Crimson students make fortunate sports fans. Luckily, for lifelong sports fans and newcomers alike, the Independent continues to cover niche storylines across professional and college sports.

The 2025 Fall Catalog

This past semester featured a wide variety of articles, including Sports Spotlights, event highlights, a weekly Fantasy Football roundup, and more personal messages. Readers of the Independent were given a deep dive into the lives of members of the Sailing, Golf, Women’s Rugby, Women’s Field Hockey, and Men’s Basketball teams. Alongside these features, authors covered the Evening of Champions, Head of the Charles Regatta, and other notable sporting events.

One feature covered senior guard and captain Chandler Piggé ’26, who helped Team USA secure a silver medal at the 2025 FISU Summer World University Games 3×3 tournament. Piggé spoke to the Independent about his athletic journey, from growing up on military bases to representing his country and school on the global stage. The senior captain is averaging a career-high 13.4 points as the basketball team currently sits at 10-9, earning the second seed in the Ivy League.

On a more personal level, former Sports Editor and senior Kate Oliver ’26 finished the semester with a love letter to her sport, Field Hockey, after the women’s team reached the semifinals in their historic season. And while the senior’s athletic career at Harvard has come to an end, the rest of the team has already started to prepare for their next season. 

In fact, many fall-only sports are already looking ahead, including the football team, which ended its season with a playoff appearance. One of the biggest setbacks for the team has been the transfer portal, as many players, like quarterback Jaden Craig ’25, have left the Crimson. While Craig has graduated from Harvard College, other former players are transferring for better opportunities in bigger markets, raising the question of whether the transfer portal benefits or damages college football.

Speaking of football, almost every issue this past semester featured a Fantasy Roundup, offering readers an engaging way to keep up with the NFL. Six Harvard-named fantasy teams competed for the imaginary trophy, with “First and Lowell” winning it all. With the Super Bowl contenders decided, fans wait to see whether Drake Maye and the Patriots can bring Boston another championship or if Sam Darnold and the Seahawks will take revenge for 2015.

The 2026 Spring Docket

While all the previously mentioned sports have been covered in the Independent, many teams have been competing over the break or are beginning to play. Many athletes, like those on the Track and Field team, had their winter breaks cut short to train on campus. Others, like the Fencing teams or Skiing teams, participated in tournaments throughout December and January.

The Women’s Skiing team, in particular, had a standout weekend at the Colby Carnival with four Nordic athletes finishing in the top 30. However, a slight aside in this article does not do their performance nor the team justice. With the Winter Olympics just around the corner, expect ample coverage of the Harvard alumni participating or coaching, as well as overarching narratives throughout the events.

While the Fall semester features some high-profile sports, many continue into or begin in the Spring semester. Readers can look forward to learning more about Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Fencing, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Crew, Sailing, Skiing, Softball, Baseball, Squash, Tennis, Track and Field, Water Polo, Swimming, and Men’s Wrestling. Moreover, there are many professional sports with extensive—and sometimes confusing—playoff formats, and we can’t wait to cover the pros too.

For this upcoming semester, expect Sports Spotlights and Indy Sportsbook to continue making regular appearances in issues. With the Spotlights, we hope to highlight the work and dedication that each athlete puts into their sport, regardless of its popularity on campus. Meanwhile, the Sportsbook provides an engaging yet simple way to understand the stakes for any game or event. Furthermore, the Independent will continue to provide insights into the most interesting storylines emerging at both the collegiate and professional levels. 

The final box score is important, but sports are not merely athletes competing against each other: they’re a way for everyone, from competitors to fans, to demonstrate their personalities and connect with one another. So while the Harvard Independent’s Sports Section will always strive to highlight the success of our athletes and teams, we hope to foster greater connections and interest in the sports themselves. 

Tyler Dang (tylerdang@college.harvard.edu) is looking forward to learning more about hockey. Megan Legault (mlegault@college.harvard.edu) is looking forward to teaching the Sports Editor more about hockey.