CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Harvard skiing will add six first-years to the program ahead of the 2026-27 as part of the Class of 2030,
Cate Brams, the Paul J. Finnegan Family Head Coach for Harvard Nordic Skiing, and
Scott MacPherson, the Peter H. Carter '69 Head Coach for Alpine Skiing, announced today.
The Crimson's Class of 2030 consists of three skiers on both the nordic and alpine teams. The incoming class consists of student athletes from Ontario, British Columbia, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
Beginning on the nordic side, the Crimson welcomes Zola Bruner (South Londonderry, Vermont), Elli Englund (Plymouth, New Hampshire), and Mark Shapovalov (Burnaby, British Columbia). For the alpine team, Luca Fulga (Ottawa, Ontario), Hadley Reed (Hingham, Massachusetts), and Thomas Legg (Whistler, Britsh Columbia) will make up the group of newcomers.
Luca Fulga
Ottawa, Ontario | Lisgar Collegiate Institute | Quebec Ski Team
- Member of the National Capital Outaouais Regional FIS Team (Ottawa, Ontario) from 2021–2023.
- Spent three years with the Quebec Ski Team.
- 9th place in Slalom at the 2026 Canadian National Championships (Panorama, British Columbia).
- U19 Slalom podium finisher at the 2023 Canadian National Championships (Kimberley, British Columbia).
- Four-time High School Honor Roll recipient.
Hadley Reed
Hingham, Massachusetts | Green Mountain Valley School
- 2026 U18 Slalom National Champion.
- Recipient of the 2025 Shelley Glover Award.
- Ranked second in the U.S. among 2008-born female athletes in both Slalom and Giant Slalom in 2025 and 2026.
- 2024 U16 Eastern Region Overall Champion.
- Valedictorian, Green Mountain Valley School Class of 2026.
- Second place in Slalom at the 2026 Middlebury Carnival.
- Also competed in lacrosse for Green Mountain Valley School.
Thomas Legg
Whistler, British Columbia | Green Mountain Valley School
- No. 1 Slalom ranking in Canada among 2007-born athletes (2026).
- Third place (U19) at the Canadian National Championships in Slalom (2025) and Giant Slalom (2026).
- Competed internationally throughout Europe during the 2025–26 season, reaching a top-500 world ranking in both Giant Slalom and Slalom.
- Highest Honors student and Lead Peer Tutor at Green Mountain Valley School.
- Ranked in the 95th percentile on Chess.com.
- Also competed in lacrosse and soccer for Green Mountain Valley School.
Zola Bruner
South Londonderry, Vermont | Stratton Mountain School | 5'6"
- Raced for Stratton Mountain School (2020-26).
- Competed for Team Vermont in U16s and Eastern High School Championships (2023-25).
- Multiple top 10 Eastern Cup finishes.
- Graduated with High Honors and was the valedictorian of her high school class.
- Received the Stratton Mountain School Founders' Award.
- Also competed in soccer, lacrosse, cross-country running.
Elli Englund
Plymouth, New Hampshire | Plymouth Regional High School | 5'5"
- Member of Holderness Nordic Club (2013-26) and Gunstock Nordic Association (2023-26).
- 2026 NHIAA Individual State Champion for skate and classic
- Four-time NHIAA PRHS Team Championship (2023-26).
- Four-time New Hampshire Nordic Skiing All-State (2023-26).
- USSA Junior National 7.5k Skae All-American.
- USAA Junior National 10k Classic 20th place.
- 2024 NENSA Eastern High School Championships Overall Runner-Up.
- Two-time NENSA Eastern High School Championships Third Place Overall (2023, 2025).
- Served as captain for the cross-country running team (2024-25), the Nordic skiing team (2026) and the track and field team (2026).
Mark Shapovalov
Burnaby, BC, Canada | Moscrop Secondary School | 5'9"
- Member of the Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club for 12 years.
- Three-year member of the BC Ski Team (2024-2026).
- BC Provincial/BC Cup Aggregate Champion (2026).
- Canadian Sport Institute's Rising Star Athlete Award.
- 23rd in 10k Skate at Canadian Olympic Trials.
- 1st in the 5k Skate and the 5k Classic at the Western Canada Cup.
- AP Scholar with Distinction Award (2026).
- Also competed in cross-country running (2023-26).
Facts Only
* Harvard skiing adds six first-years to the program for the 2026-27 season as part of the Class of 2030.
* The Nordic team newcomers are Zola Bruner, Elli Englund, and Mark Shapovalov.
* The Alpine team newcomers are Luca Fulga, Hadley Reed, and Thomas Legg.
* Incoming students come from Ontario, British Columbia, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
* Luca Fulga is from Ottawa, Ontario and was on the National Capital Outaouais Regional FIS Team (2021–2023).
* Hadley Reed is from Hingham, Massachusetts.
* Thomas Legg is from Whistler, British Columbia.
* Zola Bruner is from South Londonderry, Vermont.
* Elli Englund is from Plymouth, New Hampshire.
* Mark Shapovalov is from Burnaby, BC, Canada.
* Luca Fulga placed 9th in Slalom at the 2026 Canadian National Championships.
* Hadley Reed was the 2026 U18 Slalom National Champion.
Executive Summary
Harvard skiing will add six first-year students to the program for the 2026-27 season, encompassing the Class of 2030. The incoming class includes Zola Bruner, Elli Englund, and Mark Shapovalov for the Nordic team, and Luca Fulga, Hadley Reed, and Thomas Legg for the Alpine team. These new students originate from Ontario, British Columbia, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
The incoming athletes are detailed with specific background information. Luca Fulga has represented Canada in regional teams and achieved a 9th-place finish in Slalom at the 2026 Canadian National Championships. Hadley Reed was the 2026 U18 Slalom National Champion and ranked second among 2008-born female athletes in Slalom and Giant Slalom in 2025 and 2026. Thomas Legg achieved a No. 1 Slalom ranking in Canada among 2007-born athletes (2026) and competed internationally during the 2025–26 season. Zola Bruner was a member of Stratton Mountain School and competed for Team Vermont, while Elli Englund was a multi-time NHIAA champion and competitor in various national skiing events. Mark Shapovalov has been involved with the BC Ski Team and achieved provincial championships, along with Canadian Olympic Trials rankings.
Full Take
The structure of this announcement presents a curated introduction of incoming talent, balancing specific athletic achievements with demographic data. The pattern involves framing these individuals not just as recruits but as exemplars of high achievement across diverse geographic and competitive arenas—from national championships and international rankings to high school accolades and academic success. This setup implicitly suggests that the value of the incoming class is established through an already proven track record, which shapes the perception of what "success" looks like within the context of elite skiing.
The implication for cognitive sovereignty lies in recognizing the inherent selection bias present in showcasing only quantifiable achievements while omitting the contextual variables—the unique developmental paths, the resources available to these athletes outside of elite sport, and the systemic pressures involved in achieving these ranks. The focus remains on the performance output rather than the internal process or the distribution of opportunity that led to those outcomes.
The pattern detected is Authority Game: the reliance on lists of specific, high-level achievements (e.g., National Championships, rankings) to establish the intrinsic worth and suitability of the athletes for the program, effectively using demonstrable success as a shortcut for assumed potential. The narrative seeks to establish credibility by leveraging external benchmarks rather than exploring the complex interplay between training environments, familial support systems, and inherent aptitude that shape these results.
What determines which achievements are privileged over others? How does the framing of "newcomers" function in shaping the expectations for future performance and interaction within the program? Does prioritizing documented external success obscure the realities of holistic development?