Harvard welcomes six recruits to its DI women’s varsity program this year. The Class of 2019 includes a Girls High School All American (GHSAA), two international standouts, and representatives from four U.S. states.

The most well known freshman is Caitlin Weigel, all-time leading point-scorer for Hudson in Ohio. After an MVP performance at the Midwest Regional Cup Tournament (RCT), the center was invited to the Stars & Stripes – where she scored the opening try – and selected to the GHSAAs’ first-ever 15s tour. Weigel started at inside center in the opening Can-Am match, which the U.S. won 58-0. A nationally ranked swimmer as well, Weigel was named 2015 NOC Women’s Swimmer of the Year.

Akweley Okine played four years for Pennsylvania’s West Chester, where she was named captain and Most Valuable Player in 2015. She was also a highlight on the state all-star team that won the Mid-Atlantic RCT, and Rugby PA coach Tony DeRemer had this to say about the No. 8 in advance of the tournament, "Akweley is a two-year all star with the Rugby PA team and she has started to dominate the tackle area as a ballcarrier. We hope she can open up lots of options with her hard-running style and get the team going forward."

Grace Chao hails from Fairfax, Colo., and spent her senior year as captain of the Glendale Raptors. She’s a three-time all-state honoree and two-time Most Valuable Back for Glendale. Chao was also a four-year lacrosse letter-winner and senior captain for Kent Dover School.

Sarah Lipson doesn’t have a history of rugby, but the Chevy Chase, Md., native was a four-year varsity starter in both soccer and softball at National Cathedral School. She captained the softball team for two years and co-captained the soccer team to its third-straight D.C. championship last year.

Susie Clements has played some high-level ball, having competed with the Scotland U19 7s team from 2013-14. She also played field hockey, lacrosse, and ran cross country for three seasons at St. Leonards School. She received the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh in IB1 and the Jane Claydon Sixth Form Prize for Commitment to Sport in IB2.

Quebec’s Genevieve Quirion played hockey and rugby for four years and soccer for two at Stanstead College, captaining all three sports in her senior year. This summer, she helped Team Quebec win the Eastern Canadian Championships. She has won female scholar-athlete of the year as well as rugby MVP.

The Crimson will kick off its pre-season with a round robin this weekend against Bowdoin College and University of Prince Edward Island, and follow with a friendly against DI varsity West Chester on Sept. 12. The Ivy League season begins on Sept. 19 against Yale.