CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard University skiing will introduce 10 first-years to the program in 2023-24 as part of the Class of 2027, Sam Benzing, the Paul J. Finnegan Family Head Coach for Harvard Nordic Skiing, and Scott MacPherson, The Peter H. Carter '69 Head Coach for Harvard Alpine Skiing, announced on Monday.
 
The Crimson's Class of 2027 includes seven skiers on the nordic side and three skiers for the alpine team. The group hails from across North America with two student-athletes from Massachusetts and one each from Maine, Vermont, New Jersey, Michigan, Colorado, California, Alaska, and Canada.
 
Newcomers on the nordic team include Breagh Bridge (Kelowna, British Columbia), Annabelle Brooks (Portland, Maine), Mason Cruz-Abrams (Aspen, Colo.), Sam Gallaudet (Andover, Mass.), Cyrus Hamlin (Houghton, Mich.), Clara Lake (Newton, Mass.), and Meredith Schwartz (Anchorage, Alaska) while the alpine team's new group comprises Josh Rosenberg (Ridgewood, N.J.), Emma Speiser (Menlo Park, Calif.), and Keira Yardley (Stowe, Vt.).
 
The class joins a Harvard program that enjoyed significant success during the 2022-23 season, qualifying four individuals for the NCAA Championships. Rémi Drolet went on to win an NCAA individual title in the Men's 20km Classic.

Breagh Bridge
Nordic | Kelowna, British Columbia | Kelowna Secondary School

Came in fourth in the 7.5 km individual start skate and in third place in the classic team sprint at Canadian Ski Nationals in 2023 … Placed fifth in her age group aggregate at Canadian Ski Nationals in 2022 … Competed on the club level for Race Team Telemark Nordic Ski Team, the British Columbia Development Team, and the British Columbia Ski Team … Also competed in cross country and track & field as well as ultimate frisbee … Served as the British Columbia athlete representative on the Nordiq Canada Board of Directors … Served on the National Youth Council for the charity Fast and Female's … Member of the Cross Country British Columbia Board of Directors … Daughter of Chris and Sonya Bridge.

Annabelle Brooks
Nordic | Portland, Maine | Cheverus

Earned the 2023 Varsity Maine Girls' Skier of the Year award … Gained All-State Ski Team accolades in both 2022 and 2023 … Won the Maine State Nordic High School Championship … Finished in the top 10 at the 2023 Easter High School Championships … Served as a senior captain for nordic skiing, cross country, and outdoor track & field … Raced on the club level for Nonstop Nordic … Also competed in cross country and outdoor track & field … Came in fourth at the Maine State Cross Country Championships in 2021 and seventh in 2022; qualified for the 2021 and 2022 New England Cross Country Championships … Garnered All-State in cross country in 2020 and 2021 … Earned Team MVP accolades in cross country three times (2020, 2021, 2022) … Featured as a piano soloist with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and Augusta Symphony Orchestra … Earned All-State honors as a jazz pianist and jazz vocalist … Daughter of Robert Brooks '87 and Michele Dorsey Brooks; Robert competed for the Crimson's varsity lightweight crew program.

Mason Cruz-Abrams
Nordic | Aspen, Colo. | Vail Mountain School

Earned All-State honors in 2023 … Placed as the seventh American at the North American SuperTour Finals in 2022 … Qualified for the World Championships in Triathlon and Trail Running … Placed third at the USA Triathlon National Championships … National Merit Scholarship finalist … An AP Scholar with Distinction … Son of Hilary Cruz-Abrams '97 and Carlos Cruz-Abrams '97; both parents competed on Harvard's swimming and diving teams … Sister Robin Cruz-Abrams is a member of the Harvard women's swimming and diving Class of 2025 … Grandfather David Abramson '65, grandmother Stephanie Abramson '66, and uncle Matthew Abramson '96 all attended Harvard.

Sam Gallaudet
Nordic | Andover, Mass. | Phillips Academy Andover

Earned All-America accolades at Cross Country Skiing Junior Nationals in both 2022 and 2023 … Captured NEPSAC cross country ski titles as a junior and senior … Served team as a senior captain … Raced on the club level for Eastern Massachusetts Cross Country Skiing; served program as a captain from 2021-23 … Also competed in crew and cross country running; won Team MVP honors in crew in 2022 and 2023 … A member of the Cum Laude Society and Yale Bowl Winner … Served with Youth Enrichment Services and Our Climate … Son of Caitlin Callahan and Elisha Gallaudet … Aunt Linda Callahan '80 graduated from Harvard.

Cyrus Hamlin
Nordic | Houghton, Mich. | Houghton

Totaled eight top-three finishes at the Michigan High School Nordic Skiing Championships, including second place overall in 2022 and third place overall in 2023 … Helped team win four team championships at the Michigan state meet (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) … Earned All-Central Region twice … Raced with varsity team for five seasons (2018-23) … Competed on club level for Copper Country Ski Tigers; served program as a three-year captain … Also competed in cross country and track & field; acted as a two-year captain for cross country … Collected All-State and Academic All-State accolades in cross country … Gained All-State and All-Conference honors in track … Student Council President as a senior and Class President for three years (2019-22) … National Honor Society President as a senior … Enjoys disc golf and strategy-heavy board games … Son of Amy and Brett Hamlin.

Clara Lake
Nordic | Newton, Mass. | Newton North

Earned Boston Globe Skier of the Year honors in 2023 … Gained Boston Globe All-Scholastic accolades three times … Won a Massachusetts state title in 2023 … Placed 15^th in the classic 7.5k at the Cross Country Skiing Junior National Championships in 2023 in Fairbanks, Alaska … Selected for the Regional Elite Group Training Camp in 2021 and 2022 … Raced on the club level for Eastern Mass XC Skiing; served team as a captain in 2022-23 … Also competed in cross country and outdoor track & field; acted as outdoor track captain as a senior … High School Class President as a junior and senior … Class Vice President as a first-year and sophomore … Daughter of Erin and Stephen Lake.

Josh Rosenberg
Alpine | Ridgewood, N.J. | Okemo Mountain School (Vt.)

Placed first in the U.S. and ninth in the world in the slalom for 2005s in 2022 … Came in sixth at the 2022 Burke Eastern Cup Finals … Finished first at the 202 George Tormey Swix Series … Selected as a SYNC Team Member and National Development Group member in 2022 … A 2020 and 2021 Vermont Alpine Racing Association (VARA) Team Member … Won the 2020 VARA Jinny Hunt Award … Gained Okemo Mountain School Skier of the Year (2020) and Okemo Mountain School Coaches Award (2022) accolades … Attended both The Dwight School (N.Y.) and Okemo Mountain School (Vt.) … Also competed in tennis … Won The Dwight School IB Thinker Award in 2022 … National Honor Society student … Son of Andrea and Michael Rosenberg … Uncle Sean Holmes competed as a professional surfer in the World Surf League; won the 2000 Red Bull Big Wave Africa title and won a pair of South Africa Championship titles (1998, 2000). 

Meredith Schwartz
Nordic | Anchorage, Alaska | Robert Service

Earned Skier of the Year award through club in 2021 and 2023 and Most Inspirational Skier Award through high school in both 2022 and 2023 … Gained All-State Team and Junior National qualifier accolades as a first-year, junior and senior; made All-State all four years … Captured a state title in 2021 … Won regional championships in 2020, 2021, and 2022 … Qualified for the U18 Nordic Nations trip in 2022 … Served team as a senior captain … Raced on the club level for Alaska Winter Stars … Also competed in cross country running … Graduated as Class Salutatorian … President of the Green Thumb Project … National Honor Society Junior Representative and Vice President … Enjoys gardening, yoga, and camping … Daughter of Alison Arians and Dan Schwartz; Alison competed for Dartmouth in cross country skiing. 

Emma Speiser
Alpine | Menlo Park, Calif. | Castilleja School

Ranked sixth nationally for 2004s in slalom in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons … Earned a top-10 national ranking for 2004s in the giant slalom in 2020-21 … Qualified for the U.S. U18 National Championships in 2021-22 … Ranked first in region in slalom in 2021-22 … Competed on the club level for Palisades Tahoe, Sugar Bowl Ski Team, and Loveland Ski Club … Interested in physics, particularly as it relates to clean and renewable energy … Enjoys reading, piano, and photography … Earned a brown belt in karate … Daughter of Mary and Mike Speiser.

Keira Yardley
Alpine | Stowe, Vt. | Burke Mountain Academy

Qualified for the OPA international cup in Baqueira Beret, Spain, racing at the highest level of international competition for U16 racers with athletes competing from all over central Europe … Placed second overall in the Regional Performance Series in 2020 … Competed for Burke Mountain Academy for all four years of high school (2019-23) … Co-founded the organization Rise for the Planet in 2020 … Completed a research project entitled On Thin Ice: The Economic Reality of Vermont's Snow Sports Industry in a Changing Climate … Enjoys mountain biking, surfing, and lacrosse … Daughter of Mark and Kristin Yardley.