Newsmakers

Head coach of W’s lax named

Two-time All-American Sarah (Downing) Nelson ’94 has been named head coach of the Harvard women’s lacrosse team. After starring on three Ivy championship teams with the Crimson, Nelson was a member of the U.S. National Team at both the 1999 and 2001 World Cups, and helped the squad to the 2001 World Championship. She is also a member of this year’s national team.

From 1997 through 2000, Nelson served as head coach at the University of Vermont, before returning to Harvard at the start of the 2001 campaign. At Harvard, Nelson spent two years as an assistant coach, helping the Crimson capture the 2002 ECAC Championship. This past spring she was promoted to associate head coach.

Nelson takes the reigns from Carole Kleinfelder, who retired in May after 24 seasons at the helm. Kleinfelder built Harvard into one of the country’s elite lacrosse programs, with 12 Ivy League titles and 11 NCAA appearances. Her 252 victories are the third most in the history of women’s collegiate lacrosse.

Endocrine Society honors Harvard faculty

Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Emeritus Armen H. Tashjian Jr. was recently cited as the 2003 Robert H. Williams Distinguished Leadership Award winner by the Endocrine Society. Tashjian, a professor of toxicology at the School of Public Health, was recognized by the society for his outstanding leadership in research, training, and service in endocrinology.

Wisnovsky wins ACLS Fellowship

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) has awarded Associate Professor of Islamic Intellectual History Robert Wisnovsky, an expert on the history of Islamic philosophy, an International and Area Studies Fellowship. Wisnovsky will be on leave during the 2003-04 academic year, completing a book on how Avicenna’s most important innovations in metaphysics were appropriated and naturalized by thinkers from the mainstream Sunni branch of Islam.

Water polo welcomes Russell

Former Purdue water polo coach Scott Russell has been selected to lead Harvard’s men’s and women’s programs. Russell, who spent the past three seasons at Purdue where he led the men’s team to a Big Ten Championship, comes to the Crimson with an overall collegiate record of 639-228-10. He replaces Jim Floerchinger, who resigned in June.

Russell began his coaching career at the University of Michigan where he coached the women’s team for a dozen seasons and the men’s club for 10 seasons. With the Wolverines, Russell collected 17 Big Ten titles and two National Collegiate Club Championships. He also has coaching experience with the U.S. National Team.

The Harvard men open their season on Sept. 13 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Invitational.

– Compiled by Andrew Brooks