Harvard women’s hoops start season strong

The Crimson defeat two top 30 teams en route to a 5 -1 record

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The 2024 Harvard women’s basketball team leaders come from disparate places like Little Rock, Arkansas, Mansfield, Texas, and central Illinois. They are coached by a woman who played her college basketball at Central Michigan, followed by coaching stints at Michigan, Creighton, Princeton, and North Carolina, before taking the head coaching job at Harvard three years ago.

They are a team of upperclasswomen leaders and a blend of solid, youthful talent that has meshed into a winning combination. Their highlight win of the season to date came in the form of a stunning 72-68 overtime victory over 25th-ranked Indiana in Bloomington.

“The Indiana win was a culmination of work that began last season when we played powerhouse teams like Baylor and Maryland on the road and played them tough,” said coach Carrie Moore. “Our season was derailed by injuries, but we gained experience in those tough road games. Our motto then and now has been ‘Be 1% better every day we step on the court to play.’ Good health and tough play on defense have been the keys to our success thus far this year.”

Harvard guard Alayna Rocco shoots over an Indiana defender. PHOTO: HARVARD ATHLETICS

The slogan on her workout shirt speaks volumes to the core values of her team: “Unity, Grit, Integrity, and Joy.”

Katie Krupa, the team captain, brings championship DNA to the equation, winning a state title as a freshman at Morton High School in Central, Illinois.

“Coming to Harvard presented a unique challenge to me both athletically and intellectually,” she said, adding, “The athletic part was very tough, but I have grown thanks to the closeness I have gained with my coaches and teammates. This year’s team is the grittiest squad I have ever played with. It is also one of the closest groups of teammates that I have ever had. That closeness showed itself during the tough moments of our game against Indiana. Their fans were going crazy, but it didn’t rattle us because we were locked into each other and the game itself,” said the third-year pre-med student. “As a team, we had an unwavering belief that we could beat that Lady Hoosiers team. There was no doubt in our minds that we could win that game.”

Teammates Gabby Anderson and Harmoni Turner come from different backgrounds but share in the collective thinking of their team captain.

Anderson, a unique woman of supreme intelligence, designed and marketed her sneakers and sportswear line to help pay her tuition at Harvard. When asked about her inspiration to develop a designer sneaker, she responded, “I was bored during the COVID-19 Pandemic. So, I decided to do something with my mind. The result is a designer sneaker.”

Guard Gabby Anderson in action against UMass. PHOTO: Harvard Athletics

We should all be so bored as to invent a state-of-the-art item that will change an industry. Her toughness shows by her rapid recovery and rehab from ACL surgery. When you look into her eyes, you see a determination and a refusal to accept failure in any form.

“I am never afraid to fail,” Anderson is quick to tell you. “I gained my determination through years of prep school training and two years at IMG under the tutelage of Shelly Daley, a tough, no-nonsense coach.”

Her determination and brain power are key elements to her game and her being. The same can be said for her Crimson teammates. “My teammates and I are up to the challenges presented in basketball and life,” she said.

Harmoni Turner, the team’s leading scorer, is a story within herself. The senior scored a Harvard program 41 points on 14-of-23 shooting from the field and had seven three-pointers. She also pulled down 10 rebounds against Boston College for a double-double.

“My dad is the reason I am here at Harvard. When I was in fifth grade, I got cut from a basketball team. My dad told me that I was not good enough to make the team but asked me to trust him just that once, and that he would help me to get better,” said Turner.

Harvard women celebrate a win. PHOTO: HARVARD ATHLETICS

“I trusted him, and his words proved to be true. So when he told me to come to Harvard, I didn’t think twice about questioning him. Harvard was not on my list of colleges that I wanted to attend, and coming to Boston was a culture-shock of sorts. But my four-year journey here has been one of self-discovery. I am glad that I took my father’s advice. He told me that God has a path for me to follow, and I am on that path,” she said.

The African American Studies major hopes for a career in professional basketball, hopefully in the WNBA.

“I want to play and make contributions in the front office area of the league. That’s my dream,” said Turner.

The dream of this year’s Harvard women’s basketball team is to make it to the NCAA postseason tournament. That would be a dream fulfilled for a group of young women who are classy but not sassy and whose beauty, both outward and inward, is belied by their on-court intensity. Such is the case of the 2024 Ladies of Crimson.

Harvard women’s basketball starts this year’s campaign with 13 non-conference games. In January, the squad will begin their 14-game Ivy League schedule.