Agree, unfortunately. And this will most likely mean the downfall of the program until changes are made. No blue chip prospect that has any self respect will even consider applying to Harvard.
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Harvard 2022-23: What's Up?
- Thread starter thirdtime's . . .
- Start date
Agree, unfortunately. And this will most likely mean the downfall of the program until changes are made. No blue chip prospect that has any self respect will even consider applying to Harvard.
The fish rots from the head.
Any reasonable person would have concluded Stone was done, based on the evidence. However, what wasn't fully taken into account was that the corruption at Harvard runs deep, which is why few speak out.
Harvard Crimson: Hanging Up the Harvard Jersey
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/5/25/harvard-athlete-retention-commencement/
"Harvard lists rosters for 40 sports teams on its official athletics website. Of these teams, 13 experienced perfect retention of the 2019-20 freshmen class, while six had retention percentages at or below 50 percent. These six included women’s ice hockey, men’s golf, women’s heavyweight rowing, women’s rugby, men’s lightweight rowing, and women’s lacrosse. Women’s teams experienced lower retention — at 71 percent — than men’s teams, which saw 78 percent retention. Women’s ice hockey had the lowest retention rate of all 40 teams, with just 20 percent of the original freshman class remaining for the 2022-23 season. Earlier this year, dozens of current and former players leveled allegations of emotional abuse spanning years by longtime head coach Katey Stone in investigations published by the Boston Globe and the Athletic.
In March, Harvard Athletics announced an external review of the team by a New York-based law firm. The review was expected to conclude by the end of this academic year.
While Harvard did not comment directly on the full data or team retention rates, Harvard spokesperson Rachael Dane wrote in an emailed statement that the University encourages student-athletes to take advantage of the “myriad academic, social, and athletic experiences” available to undergraduates...we also support student-athletes choosing to pursue different paths once they arrive on campus"
The majority of teams at Harvard (26 of 40) had retention rates of ~80%-100%. Yet women's hockey had an ATTRITION rate of 80%. So basically, Harvard has demonstrated once again that it doesn't give a flying fig about it's student-athletes and investigating nor addressing why there are such alarming levels of attrition on a few teams.
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/5/25/harvard-athlete-retention-commencement/
"Harvard lists rosters for 40 sports teams on its official athletics website. Of these teams, 13 experienced perfect retention of the 2019-20 freshmen class, while six had retention percentages at or below 50 percent. These six included women’s ice hockey, men’s golf, women’s heavyweight rowing, women’s rugby, men’s lightweight rowing, and women’s lacrosse. Women’s teams experienced lower retention — at 71 percent — than men’s teams, which saw 78 percent retention. Women’s ice hockey had the lowest retention rate of all 40 teams, with just 20 percent of the original freshman class remaining for the 2022-23 season. Earlier this year, dozens of current and former players leveled allegations of emotional abuse spanning years by longtime head coach Katey Stone in investigations published by the Boston Globe and the Athletic.
In March, Harvard Athletics announced an external review of the team by a New York-based law firm. The review was expected to conclude by the end of this academic year.
While Harvard did not comment directly on the full data or team retention rates, Harvard spokesperson Rachael Dane wrote in an emailed statement that the University encourages student-athletes to take advantage of the “myriad academic, social, and athletic experiences” available to undergraduates...we also support student-athletes choosing to pursue different paths once they arrive on campus"
The majority of teams at Harvard (26 of 40) had retention rates of ~80%-100%. Yet women's hockey had an ATTRITION rate of 80%. So basically, Harvard has demonstrated once again that it doesn't give a flying fig about it's student-athletes and investigating nor addressing why there are such alarming levels of attrition on a few teams.
MAHOCKEY FAN
Member
I am not sure what disappoints me more …that this stuff went on as long as it did….or that after all this information has come out that Katie Stone has not been fired yet. What I think is happening now, and has been for several years, girls commit and go there….if it’s really as bad as they hear…they are still getting a Harvard degree and can quit…or they can transfer. So the retention rate just gets worse….
Last week, I caught a few innings of the women's softball team playing in the NCAA tournament. Reminded me of my visit with Jenny Allard, the head coach of the women's team in 2009 when I brought the daughter of a close friend for her recruiting visit. Allard could not have been nicer to my friend's daughter. They spent an hour together watching the team practice. Allard was one of the reasons why my friend's daughter chose to come to Harvard and she loved every minute of it.
I bring up Allard because she arrived at Harvard around the same time that Coach Stone took over the women's hockey program. Allard is still having success with her program after 27 years of coaching women's softball. And Allard has to recruit against a far greater pool of schools that have women's softball programs. The fact that she is able to coach a team to the NCAA tournament is an achievement in itself.
I bring up Allard because she arrived at Harvard around the same time that Coach Stone took over the women's hockey program. Allard is still having success with her program after 27 years of coaching women's softball. And Allard has to recruit against a far greater pool of schools that have women's softball programs. The fact that she is able to coach a team to the NCAA tournament is an achievement in itself.
So we have passed graduation and nothing changes. It's clear the administration doesn't care one iota about the women's program. I fear the only way out is for the team to quit en masse. I don't see that happening because some of the girls are favorites of Coach Stone and will play through whatever is going down with the other girls who are suffering the abuse. Maybe a few last-place finishes will change their minds but I'm not holding my breath waiting for that to happen.
MAHOCKEY FAN
Member
I check this site for updates multiple times a day. I am convinced KS stays. I will never watch another Harvard sporting event again. This inaction tells me what Harvard thinks about their SA. Anything they say to the contrary is lip stick on a pig
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Seems to me that Harvard is just waiting for the dust to settle, which it pretty much has. It's either time for another article from the one of the papers, or Stone is staying put. Coaches from other programs have been let go for far less than what has come out about her and this program (and I'm sure we don't even know the majority of it).
top cheese
New member
From today's Boston Globe:
Harvard women’s hockey coach Katey Stone retires - The Boston Globe
The statement was carefully worded and I'm guessing that she had to sign some form of a waiver not to come after the University. Either that or the law firm's "investigation" yielded new information from women who came forward that made it obvious something had to be done.
Harvard women’s hockey coach Katey Stone retires - The Boston Globe
The statement was carefully worded and I'm guessing that she had to sign some form of a waiver not to come after the University. Either that or the law firm's "investigation" yielded new information from women who came forward that made it obvious something had to be done.
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FiveHoleFrenzy
Well-known member
Maybe Ella can add a bit of class to what has been a cluster...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eZTErPOQkA&t=21s
MAHOCKEY FAN
Member
I did not think this would be the result. I am happy for womens hockey everywhere. Let this serve as a reminder that coaching 20 years ago is not what coaching today is. Would love to see MC come back but why would She….bummer that Shelly Picard just took job at LIU.
She is getting off far to easy in my opinion, and I don't think this is the end of it.
Guessing that Harvard will look for a young and upcoming coach from a program that is nationally recognized. Whoever comes aboard will need to fix the culture first and foremost. And that may take a while given all that has gone on in the past twenty-plus years.
Watson Rink
Registered User
How about asking the program's first coach, Joe Bertagna, to take the reins as interim head coach for 2023-2024? Uniquely experienced at starting a Harvard women's hockey program from scratch.....
And wondering how many, if any, of the players who dropped out but are still eligible will be interested in rejoining the team
And wondering how many, if any, of the players who dropped out but are still eligible will be interested in rejoining the team
I agree there is objectively a good case to fire the AD based on her ra-ra Katey attitude in response to the internal investigation over the summer, which then allowed this whole situation to blow up in the Globe and the Athletic. It would've probably been better for everyone if Katey had stepped down more quietly back then.
But you can't fire the AD and not fire any associate AD who was in charge of oversight for women's hockey as well. It'd be pretty rich to fire Harvard's first female AD, but not fire any male associate AD responsible for overseeing women's hockey for many years before the AD arrived.