Sports briefs and newsmakers

Rugby club seeks grad student players

The Harvard M.B.A./Grad Rugby Club seeks graduate student players of all experience levels for training, matches, tours, or tournaments. Trainings are held Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at the pitch beside Harvard Stadium. Home matches are held on Saturdays at 1 p.m., starting this weekend against the Seacoast Club of New Hampshire.

Contact Luke Herbert at Lherbert@mba2005.hbs.edu for more information.

Football to open season against Crusaders

The Harvard football team kicks off its 2004 season on Saturday (Sept. 18) at 12:30 p.m. at the stadium against regional rival Holy Cross. After going 7-3 overall last season, good for a second-place finish in the Ivy League, the Crimson return two First Team All-Ivy League players in Bobby Everett ’05 and Clifton Dawson ’07, as Walter Payton Award candidate and team captain Ryan Fitzpatrick ’05 resumes his starting job behind the center.

For tickets, call 1-877-GO-HARVARD, or visit http://www.gocrimson.com, and click Crimson Tickets Online.

Hockey names new assistant coach

Bobby Jay has been named an assistant coach for the Harvard men’s hockey team, first-year head coach Ted Donato ’91 announced earlier this month. Jay most recently served as the general manager of the American Hockey League (AHL) franchise in San Antonio. Previously, he served as an assistant coach with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL, and played professionally for 10 years.

Ridolfi returns to lead men’s volleyball

Former women’s volleyball assistant coach Chris Ridolfi was recently named head coach of Harvard’s men’s program. Ridolfi, who spent the past two seasons as the head women’s coach at Holy Cross, previously spent four years on the Crimson coaching staff. He takes over a program that finished 6-5 in the 2004 season.

– Compiled by Andrew Brooks