“We always hear stories about [Feaster],” Peljto says. “To be mentioned in the same light as her is a true honor.”
But despite the kinship the two share in Harvard women’s basketball history, Delaney-Smith says there are some dissimilarities between the two players.
“Everyone always asks me to compare the two, but they’re entirely different players. Allison started to get serious about her off-season work later in her career, whereas Hana came here with that. Allison was a more powerful player at this point in her career, and right now Hana has a little more finesse.”
Leaving Her Mark
Peljto’s legacy, however, includes more than a couple of record-breaking evenings. This year she leads the league in points per game with 24.1, ranks second in rebounding at 9.9 per contest and has been named Ivy League player of the week on three occasions. All this in a season that Peljto feels “didn’t quite live up to expectations.”
“Hana puts the team first,” Delaney-Smith says. “So as much as I think she is proud of this accomplishment if you gave her the chance for an Ivy League title, I think she’d take it over personal achievement,”
In her first three years at Harvard—which included two Ivy crowns—Peljto created quite a reputation for herself. She was twice named Ivy League Player of the Year, in addition to being named Ivy League Rookie of the Year in her freshman season. She was named to the CoSida Academic All-America squad, and tagged a Mid-Major All-American by Full Court Press Journal.
So where does all of this put Hana Peljto’s legacy in the pantheon of Harvard lore?
“I hope to be remembered as someone who was very committed and worked very hard, because I think that’s what my game exemplifies,” Peljto says. “A lot of my game is based on hustle, and I guess when you talk about me, that’s what you would talk about.”
Her coaches and teammates agree.
“Unquestionably, Hana leaves a legacy of the most remarkable work-ethic I have ever coached,” Delaney-Smith says. “I see how my freshmen admire and try to emulate that. There’s nothing a coach can do and say that will have more effect on the younger players than seeing Hana work hard everyday. That’s a life lesson in my opinion.”
It should be no surprise that it might take Hana Pejlto a few tries at that last bucket. For a player who has built her career on dedication and tenacity, it is only fitting.