CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard Athletics welcomed its newest members with its First-Year Student-Athlete Orientation for the Class of 2028 on Saturday at Lavietes Pavilion in an event that featured remarks from Erin McDermott, The John D. Nichols '53 Family Director of Athletics, alongside a diverse range of panelists who spoke to the array of opportunities available to Harvard student-athletes.
 
Panelists at the event included Dr. Christine Ament '97 (women's lacrosse, women's track & field), Allison Feaster '98 (women's basketball), Matt Thomas '21 (baseball), Jade Rose '25 (women's soccer), and Brice Austin '25 (baseball). Mike Smith, the Crimson's Faculty Athletics Representative and the John H. Finley Jr. Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, served as the panel's moderator.
 
Following an introduction from McDermott, Smith led the panelists through a series of questions that allowed them to discuss their backgrounds, reflect on their Harvard experiences, and demonstrate how they are able to succeed at the highest levels – in competition, in the classroom, and in the community.
 
In an effort to help incoming student-athletes best understand the Harvard experience at the outset of their time on campus, the group of panelists offered a balanced approach to finding success in athletics, academics, and extracurricular activities – at an institution that affords student-athletes the opportunities to achieve at the highest levels in all areas. The group represented a cross section of the broad range of possible journeys that Harvard student-athletes can take to find success and purpose.
 
Following the conclusion of the panel, the Harvard Varsity Club passed out first-year t-shirts to the Class of 2028, McDermott provided closing remarks, and Harvard Athletics hosted an ice cream social to cap the afternoon's events.

Brief Panelist Bios 

Dr. Christine Ament '97, Women's Lacrosse and Women's Track & Field

Dr. Christina Ament '97 has served as a doctor in the greater Boston area over the last two decades and is currently an Ophthalmologist and the Assistant Program Director of the BU/BMC Ophthalmology Residency program at Boston Medical Center. Following her time as an undergraduate at Harvard, she went on to receive her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. During her time with the Crimson, Ament earned Academic All-America and All-Ivy honors in lacrosse. 

Allison Feaster '98, Women's Basketball

Allison Feaster '98 has compiled a trailblazing career from her time as a decorated student-athlete for the Crimson, as a standout professional basketball player, and as an executive in the National Basketball Association. A three-time Ivy League Player of the Year at Harvard, Feaster helped the Crimson top No. 1 seed Stanford in the 1998 NCAA tournament. Following a professional playing career that included earning WNBA All-Star honors, Feaster became an executive in the NBA working as the Vice President, Team Operations & Organizational Growth for the Boston Celtics. 

Matt Thomas '21, Baseball

Matt Thomas '21 currently serves as a middle school history teacher at the Community Charter School of Cambridge. Thomas earned both a bachelor's degree from Harvard in 2021 and a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2022. While at Harvard, Thomas held a variety of roles on campus including work as the co-chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a Peer Advising Fellow, a Student-Athlete Wellness Leader, and as a member of the Faculty Standing Committee on Athletics as well as the Harvard Athletics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force. 

Jade Rose '25, Women's Soccer

Jade Rose '25 made her debut for the Canada Senior National Team in 2021 has played in over 20 matches for the team since her debut, including competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Rose has established herself as one of the top defenders in the NCAA since arriving at Harvard in 2021, earning All-America honors as both a sophomore and junior. Rose has also earned Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year twice, First Team All-Ivy three times, and All-Region accolades three times. 

Brice Austin '25, Baseball

A mechanical engineering student at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), Brice Austin '25 spent a gap year working with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team in the United Kingdom during the 2023-24 academic year. Through his work in F1, Austin was able to combine his passion for sport, particularly motorsports, and his engineering interests, including propulsion and design. Austin has a long-term goal of working with sustainable transportation for the future.