CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – On the back of a historic 2024-25 season, Harvard women's tennis will add three highly touted recruits ahead of next year.  Andra Braicu, Polina Krumkachev, and Claire Shao will join the Crimson in Cambridge next season as a part of the Class of 2029, Traci Green, the Sheila Kelly Palandjian Head Coach for Harvard Women's Tennis, announced this week. 

"I'm thrilled to welcome Andra, Claire, and Polina to our Harvard Women's Tennis family," said Green.  "They bring talent, strong character, and a disciplined work ethic as outstanding scholar-athletes.  We're excited for them to start their college journeys and happy to support them as they grow with us and help us keep building."

Andra Braicu | Berlin, Germany | Weil Tennis Academy and College Preparatory School

First place at the Girls' 14s NorCal Tennis Sectionals in 2021…Second place at the Girls' 18s NorCal Tennis Sectionals in 2024…Fifth place at the Girls' 18s Clay Court Nationals in 2025…Featured as a Tennis Recruiting Network "Hot 100" in both 2021 and 2024…Helped Menlo School Girls' Varsity Tennis to NorCal and CCS Championships in 2023 as top singles player and captain…Earned career-high #40 USTA ranking in Girls' 18s National Seeding List…Five-star recruit according to Tennis Recruiting Net.

Polina Krumkachev | Bradenton, Fla. | Laurel Springs School

Blue-chip recruit according to Tennis Recruiting Net…Ranked #17 in the Class of 2025…Top 1,000 professional singles ranking…Top 1,5000 WTA Professional doubles ranking…Main draw qualifier at W35K WTA professional event in 2025…PTT 25K Second Playoff Finalist in 2023…Girls' 18s Winter National Championship Silver Ball Winner in 2024…USTA National Spring Team Championships Level 1 Bronze Ball Winner in 2023…Reached the Round of 16 at the FILA International Championships Level 1…#1 in USTA Southwest Section 12s and 14s…Top five in USTA Florida Section 16s and 18s…Girls' 18s Doubles Quarterfinalist at USTA Level 1 Easter Bowl in 2024, USTA Level 1 Indoor Championships in 2024, and Eddie Herr International Championships in 2023…Doubles Finalist ITF Nicaragua in 2022…Nick Bollettieri Sportsmanship Award…IMG Academy Champions Spirt Award…IMG Next Generation Player Award…USTA Zonal Championship Sportsmanship Award…Four-time National Honor Society…Four-time High Honor Roll.

Claire Shao | Princeton Junction, N.J. | Florida Virtual School

Blue-chip recruit according to Tennis Recruiting Net…2024 USTA Florida Robert Carrington Balink Award…18 and Under National L1 Clay Court Championship Finalist in 2023…Battle of the Sections Finalist with Team Florida in 2024…18 and Under Bobby Curtis State Semifinalist in 2023…16 and Under National L1 Clay Court Championship fifth place finish in 2022…J4 Boca Raton Doubles Finalist and Singles Semifinalist in 2022…J5 Monterrey Singles Champion and Doubles Finalist in 2022…16 and Under Bobby Curtis State Champion in 2022…16 and Under L2 Doubles Champion in 2022…Ap Scholar with Distinction…Principal's Honor Roll through high school.