CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Recognizing their peers in the Harvard Athletics community, the Harvard Student-Athlete Advisory Committee announced the recipients of a plethora of awards at the annual HESPYs event. The awards were voted on by the various student-athletes on campus.
Men's Water polo's Noah Harrison was crowned the Best Fall Male Athlete after helping led the squad to a Final Four appearance. Harrison tallied a-team high 86 goals to go with 38 assists and 63 steals on the season. Women's soccer's Margaret Purce collected the Best Fall Female Athlete award after guiding the Crimson to its third Ivy title in four seasons. Purce scored 12 goals in 2016, and was a first round draft choice by the Boston Breakers of the National Women's Soccer League.
The Best Winter Male Athlete award went to fencing's Eli Dershwitz, who was the NCAA Champion in sabre. An Olympian in 2016 for the United States, Dershwitz posted a 69-10 record on the season. Also an individual national champion after raising the Ramsay Cup, women's squash's Gina Kennedy was named the Best Winter Female Athlete. Kennedy went 14-2 during her freshman campaign, competing in either the first or second position.
The honor for Best Spring Male Athlete was given to men's lacrosse's Morgan Cheek. The junior attacker scored 37 goals over 13 games while amassing 67 total points. The Best Spring Female Athlete accolade went to women's track & field sprinter Gabby Thomas, who has repeatedly rewritten the record book in her events. Thomas was an All-American in the 200 meters during the indoor season, and she will look to repeat as an All-American in the outdoor season next month.
Excelling to a high degree from the moment they entered competition, field hockey's Bente van Vlijmen and men's swimming's Dean Farris were crowned the Female and Male Rookies of the Year, respectively. The Ivy League Rooke of the Year and an All-America, van Vlijmen scored eight goals during her first campaign. Farris was an All-American in his own right, finishing fourth nationally in the 200 freestyle and 14th in the 200 back.
A true leader, men's basketball's Siyani Chambers was named the Comeback Athlete of the Year after returning to the court following a knee injury. Chambers led the Crimson to the inaugural Ivy League Tournament, and was a first-team all-conference selection.
Many Harvard teams are pillars in the community as well, and the Harvard sailing team was bestowed the Crimson Cares Community Service award for their work with the Sail to Prevail program, which involves teaching sailing to children with disabilities.
In a season with a series of highlight reel plays, men's water polo's Harry Tafur earned the Best Play award after his triple overtime golden goal in the play-in round of the NCAA tournament. The goal gave men's water polo its first NCAA tournament victory in program history.
Wrestling freshman Hunter Ladnier earned the award for Best Upset after taking down the No. 11-ranked wrestler in the country at the EIWA Championships. The victory sent Ladnier to the NCAA Championships, joining a pair of Crimson teammates.
Scoring twice in the final 17 minutes against archrival Yale, women's soccer tallied the accolade for Best Come From Behind Win. Trailing 1-0 early, Purce scored the equalizer after assists from Rachel Garcia and Leah Mohammadi, and seven minutes later, Mohammadi set up Caroline Chagares for the game-winning header into the top corner.
Following its 24th Ivy championship in program history, the award for Best Celebration went to the men's swimming and diving team. Harvard finished a perfect 10-0 in dual season, capped off by by a 370-point victory in the Ancient Eight over second-place Penn.
Finally, the men's hockey team and the women's cross country/track & field program were awarded the Male and Female Teams of the Year, respectively. The men's hockey team reached the Frozen Four after a historic season, while both the women's cross country and indoor track teams posted Ivy championships.
Full Awards:
Best Fall Male Athlete- Noah Harrison
Best Fall Female Athlete- Midge Purce
Best Winter Male Athlete- Eli Dershwitz
Best Winter Female Athlete- Gina Kennedy
Best Spring Male Athlete- Morgan Cheek
Best Spring Female Athlete- Gabby Thomas
Male Rookie of the Year- Dean Farris
Female Rookie of the Year- Bente van Vlijmen
Comeback Athlete of the Year- Siyani Chambers
Crimson Cares Community Service- Harvard Sailing
Best Play- Harry Tafur, Men's Water Polo
Best Upset- Hunter Ladnier, Wrestling
Best Come from Behind Win- Women's Soccer vs. Yale
Best Celebration- Men's Swimming and Diving
Male Team of the Year- Men's Hockey
Female Team of the Year- Women's Cross Country and Track and Field
