Harvard University

Sylvia Braaten joined Harvard women's rugby as an assistant coach prior to the 2019-20 season and enters her fourth season with the program in 2022-23.
 
Harvard returned to play in 2021-22 for another successful 15s season in the fall, posting a 6-1 record in the regular season to secure the No. 2 seed in NIRA before eventually falling to Army in the National Semifinals. Harvard saw five student-athletes named to the All-NIRA team at the conclusion of the season. The Crimson saw its first 7s action in three years in the spring of 2022, starting off the season with a tournament victory at Crimson 7s after a 5-0 run to defeat Army in the final. Braaten would go on to help lead the Crimson to its second consecutive Ivy 7s Championship title at Mignone Field, defeating Dartmouth in the Championship game. Harvard closed the year with a run to the semifinals at the USA Rugby 7s National Championships.
 
In her first season with the Crimson, the team saw success during 15s season of 2019-20. The Crimson posted an overall record of 7-2 with two wins over Dartmouth; one in the regular season and the other coming in the NIRA Semifinal game. Harvard would go on to win its first NIRA National Championship as a varsity program with an 18-7 win over Army West Point.
 
Harvard’s 2020 7s season and 2020-21 15s and 7s seasons were canceled due to COVID-19.
 
Braaten joined the Crimson after spending a year working with the USA U20 team as an assistant coach and member of the USA Rugby high performance team. A former athlete and co-captain on the USA Women's National Team, Braaten has represented the United States at two 15s world cups (2014, 2017) and on the international 7s stage. Since 2018, she has served as director of operations for Englebert Training Systems, where she handles programming, administration, and implementation of performance programs for athletes of all calibers.
 
Braaten competed in the Women's Premier League as a center for the Twin Cities Amazons, serving as an athlete and captain since 2009. She was previously an assistant coach for the University of Minnesota's women's team in 2015 and 2017 and has conducted tackling clinics for New Prague Youth Football Association.
 
Hailing from Lauderdale, Minnesota, Braaten is a 2007 graduate of Marquette University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science and is an NSCA-CSCS Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.