Several teams hope to win the Ivy League title this season. Here’s what you need to know about fall season sports.
Andrew Kramer
staff reporter
Courtesy of Musco Sports
Weeks after the fall track and field season, many Yale teams are gearing up for the start of Ivy League games. Here are the most important things to know about each sport.
football: The football team started the season in a tough test against No. 13 Holy Cross, falling to 38–14. The Blue and White, who are projected to finish fourth in the Ivy League, will face Cornell this weekend. There are reasons for optimism. Because last year’s leading passer, receiver, and running all his backs, he’s back again this year with a year of experience.
In particular, quarterback Nolan Grooms ’24 is expected to take a step forward.
“[Grooms] He’s really grown,” head coach Tony Leno said. “The game really slowed down for him.”
On November 19th, the team will travel to Boston to try to avenge last season’s loss to Harvard.
golf: rear Good season last spring Both men’s and women’s golf teams are looking to continue their dominating spell. and men’s head coach Colin Sheehan ’97 won Ivy Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.
During the summer, second-time women’s captain Ami Janchandani ’23 played in the USGA’s Women’s Open Championship and Women’s Amateur Championship, the latter of which her teammate Kaitlyn Lee ’23 also played. While they compete in Princeton this weekend, fans can watch the men’s team host the McDonald’s Cup at nearby Yale Golf Course. Both teams will play the fall and spring seasons culminating in the Ivy League Championship.
Football: The women’s team won 3 of their first 4 matches, with the remaining one being a draw. Since then, they have lost four games in a row against stiff competition. That all goes out the window this Saturday when the Bulldogs open their Ivy League game at home to Princeton.
The men’s team, who finished second in last year’s Ivy League, picked up where they left off. After drawing in his first two games, the team won his fourth straight. Including a thrilling upset against West Virginia, It was later ranked 23rd in the nation. In pre-season media polls, Yale was voted second to Princeton. They’ll have one more tune-up before they start conference play next week at Duke.
cross country: The Bulldogs have only played one race so far this season, losing out to rivals Harvard and Princeton in overall points. Senior Cade He Brown ’23 and Kothana Weir ’23 finished in the top 10 in the men’s and women’s respectively. There are several events left before postseason play and some talented first years. This team could be more competitive this year.
tennis: The women’s team has yet to compete this season, but expectations are high as the team showed a flash of potential last year and are now in the 12th place nationally in the recruiting class. The men’s team Duke Bonk Invitational last weekend, Luke Neal ’25 and Theo Dean ’24 advanced to the semi-finals. Following his 10–12 season last year, the Bulldogs hope the strong performance is a sign of improvement to come.
Field hockey: With a 4-2 record, first-year head coach Melissa Gonzalez gave the field hockey team its best start since 2010. Ellie Barlow ’25 has already scored two clutch winning goals, the team looks poised to take a step forward from last year’s 9-8 record. The team will begin Ivy League play on Friday when they travel to Providence to face Brown.
Sailing: The Bulldogs won both the Women’s Team Race Nationals and the Open Team Race Nationals last year. In addition to the Fowle Trophy awarded to the best overall sailing program in the country at the end of the season. It’s been two weeks since the regatta started and he looks to be continuing his dominant path with the country’s top-ranked teams. Despite Sean Havery ’22 failing to win College Sailor of the Year, a strong class of freshmen is already catching up and securing some of his 1st place finishes already .
Hamera Shabbir contributed to the report.