John H. Lee Jr. '53, currently coach of Harvard's freshman wrestling team, has been named varsity wrestling coach, effective July 1.

Lee replaces Robert A. Pickett, who resigned at the end of this winter's season to become executive director of the Harvard Varsity Club. Pickett had been varsity wrestling coach for 18 years.

Lee, 37, is possibly the finest wrestler in Harvard's history. He was undefeated through his three varsity seasons, wrestling at the 123 and 130-pound categories.

In 1951, he won the National Amateur Athletic Union's 125-pound championship. He placed third in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's annual championships in 1952 and fourth in 1953. Few Harvard wrestlers--or even Ivy League wrestlers--achieve such national ranking.

Lee has coached Harvard freshmen for the past 13 years. His teams have compiled an overall record of 84-22-3. They were undefeated in 1956 and 1966.

While coaching the freshmen, Lee has maintained an insurance agency in Boston. He is expected to remain with the business--which he runs with his brother James--while coaching the varsity.

As varsity coach, Lee will try to revive Harvard's wrestling fortunes after an unexpectedly 1967-68 mediocre season. Struck by a plague of injuries, the team stumbled to a 2-8 record, just a year after its strongest challenge ever for the Ivy League championship.