The Harvard Crimson COMMENCEMENT 2023
Making History and Ready for ‘Moore’ for Women’s Basketball By MOLLY R. MALAGUE
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CRIMSON STAFF WRITER
arrie Moore’s career as Crimson basketball coach tipped off to a tremendous start in the 2022-23 season. In her first year at the head of the program, the former Western Michigan standout and retired professional basketball player led the team to a 9-5 Ivy League record and a deep run in the WNIT tournament — one that made program history. “Unity, grit, integrity, and joy,” Moore said. “If you look back and you watch our games, [...] you’ll be able to witness a lot of unity, a lot of joy, you will have seen some really gritty moments and you’ll just really believe in the fact that we have a ton of integrity within our program.” Moore and her staff settled on these four principles before preseason began, and they carried the team through the trials and tribulations of the season. “We definitely nailed those down into our culture,” senior
co-captain Maggie McCarthy added. Establishing this new culture was a top priority for the team. As the College’s first new coach in 40 years, the arrival of Moore and her staff offered an opportunity for a program-wide refresh, and as they set goals, they aimed high. “That championship focus,” McCarthy said. “We always wanted to win games, but coming in from a coaching staff that expected you to give your all every time, [we began] realizing that it all comes down to little things, and that’s what wins championships.” The Crimson did all the little things, but ended up heartbreakingly short of an Ivy championship title. After stunning Columbia with a 72-65 overtime win in the first round of Ivy tournament play, Harvard faltered in the final, ultimately falling to
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Harvard finished third in the Ivy League with 12 points, its best finish since 2015, and the Crimson finished with a 7-1-1 record at home.
