Balestracci has Ivy opponents seeing Crimson

When Harvard middle linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks two years ago, another freshman with a four-syllable last name stepped into his large shoes.

That freshman, Dante Balestracci, quickly helped Crimson fans forget the loss of Kacyvenski, a three-time All-Ivy honoree.

Like his predecessor, Balestracci was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year. But even more impressive than his position as the top Ivy freshman was an accolade that no first-year player had ever received.

The Harvard linebacker became the first freshman in Ivy League history to be honored as a member of the First Team All-Ivy squad.

"Dante came in as one of our most highly recruited players and still exceeded our expectations," Harvard coach Tim Murphy said. "He was probably our best defensive player even though he was a true freshman."

In his memorable freshman campaign with the Crimson, Balestracci led the team with 94 tackles and forced two fumbles.

He also displayed the athleticism that made him an award-winning high school defensive back with a team-leading three interceptions.

More importantly for Harvard, he showed the ability to absolutely dominate a contest from his middle linebacker position.

Against Dartmouth last year, he returned two interceptions for touchdowns, and in Harvard's close loss to Penn he tackled 17 Quakers and intercepted a Gavin Hoffman pass.

This ability to dominate on the field made him an immediate team leader.

"Dante has handled the pressure of being an award winner and team leader early in his career with a tremendous amount of humility and maturity," Murphy said. "He is just a solid kid all the way around."

Balestracci has been the backbone of the undefeated Harvard team's defense again this year, despite his battle with an ankle injury that forced him to miss games against Lafayette and Northeastern.

Even while missing these games, he is only one tackle away from leading the team in that category, and he is tied for the team lead with two interceptions.

"When Dante is not on the lineup, obviously, we lose one of our outstanding players, and therefore we take it down half a notch," Murphy said.

Being a vaunted athlete is nothing new for the New Bedford, Mass., native. The high school quarterback, receiver and safety was The Boston Globe's Division I player of the year as a senior.

Balestracci was also a 1,000-point scorer for his high school basketball team and was twice an honorable mention All-American for basketball. In the spring, he was a member of a state championship baseball team.

And not surprisingly, he got an early start in high school too. He was the first freshman in the state to be named All Big-3 in two sports.

He is the type of athlete that coaches dream about. He is already recognized as the sixth-best linebacker in all of Division I-AA as a sophomore, which begs the question -- how much better can he get?

"My expectations for him this season were to be the best linebacker in the Ivy League, and I believe he has accomplished that," Murphy said. "Dante can only get better, but I preface that by saying that playing at such a high level early in his career means that we can not have our expectations too much higher."

If his Crimson career follows its current trajectory, Balestracci could very well find himself joining Kacyvenski in the pros.

Judging by Balestracci's track record so far, it would be hard to bet against him being an early success there, too.

It is easy to forget in the midst of all of his achievements that after this year he will still have two seasons left in his Harvard career. That can only mean good things for the Crimson faithful.

"Dante Balestracci is not only one of the best players I've ever had the good fortune to coach," Murphy said. "He is also one of the nicest, most mature and natural team leaders."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.