Former Harvard midfielder Ben Smith '10 has completed his secondseason on head coach Chris Wojcik's '96 staff.
In his second season in Cambridge, Smith helped the Crimson dowhat no other team had done in 24 years, as Harvard won theprogram’s first Ivy League championship since 1990 with a 5-1conference record. The feat helped earn Harvard an at-large berthto the NCAA tournament, its first since 2006 and sixth overall,while elevating the Crimson to the highest ranking in programhistory at No. 11. Harvard finished the year off with a 10-7overall record, an impressive 7-1 mark in Cambridge, four wins overranked opponents, and seven selections to the All-Ivy League teams,the second most in program history. Additionally, Devin Dwyer andBobby Duvnjak garnered USILA All-America honorable mention honors,while Smith helped mentor a defensive unit which allowed 9.76 goalsper game overall, a league-low 8.63 in conference, while holding 11of its 17 opponents to fewer than 10 goals.
In Smith’s first season with the Crimson in 2013, Harvardposted a 6-8 overall record and 2-4 mark in league action afterplaying the ninth toughest schedule in the nation, including gamesagainst seven ranked opponents through the course of the season.Five Crimson earned All-New England and All-Ivy League honorshighlighted by Devin Dwyer’s NEILA Rookie of the Yearselection.
Smith, who suited up for Johns Hopkins as a fifth-year senior in2011 as a starting long-stick midfielder, garnered All-Ivy Leaguehonorable mention as a senior with the Crimson in 2010. Smithstarted nine of the 10 games he appeared in that spring, scoringtwo goals and collecting 24 ground balls while causing nineturnovers, which tied for the team lead.
At Harvard, Smith received the Most Improved Player award as ajunior in 2009, before earning the Most Valuable Player award andthe Class of 59 'Trophy for leadership and enthusiasm as a seniorin 2010. Smith also garnered NEILA Scholar Athlete honors hissenior year. While at Johns Hopkins in 2011, Smith led the team incaused turnovers and helped the squad rank second in the nation indefense and earn the No. 3 seed entering the NCAA tournament. Inaddition, Smith was presented with the W. Taylor Cook Award forstrength of character and positive contributions to the team.
Smith, a native of Longmeadow, Mass., also appeared in 11 contestsas a junior in 2009 and played in five games as a sophomore theprevious season. In total, Smith played in 26 games during histenure in Cambridge.
