Juano Queen Jr.

Juano Queen Harvard

The Hymons' interest is because their grandson, Juano Queen, has been a member of the Harvard Crimson the past four years.
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"Juano had scholarship offers from 70 or 80 universities.
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Juano Queen Jr., spent part of the first 15 summers of his life in Ferriday.

"Juano learned a lot while he was here in Ferriday," Clarence said.
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Queen said he enjoyed his stays in Ferriday.

"I would spend two months of every summer in Ferriday until I was about 13," he said."It was my second home.I loved hanging out with my grandparents.I played a lot of basketball and baseball."

Queen attended Marist School in Atlanta where he lettered in football, basketball and track.He played in state championship games in both football and basketball his senior year.He was first team All-Area at defensive back his senior year and Dekalb County All-Academic Team in basketball.

Queen was the Atlanta Journal Constitution Scholar Athlete of the Week for both football and basketball.He also lettered in track.

"When I was younger basketball was my first love," Queen said."As I got older I began playing high school football and that's what I wanted to do.Just like in Louisiana, football is very important in Georgia."

Queen said he grew up a Florida State fan.

"I was never really a Georgia fan and I followed Georgia Tech a little bit because of its proximity," he said."But I always liked the underdog and when I was young Florida State would always lose to Miami, so I felt sorry for them.And I like Deion Sanders.He was always fun to watch."

Queen said he attended one Bayou Classic game between Southern and Grambling when he was about 13.

"It was a lot of fun," he said."But my mom really doesn't get into football."

Queen said Harvard beat out Furman, Duke and Brown for his services.

"I really fell in love with Harvard after I made my visit," he said of his trip to Cambridge, Mass. "All the football players were great.
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Queen, an honor student, entered the 2004 season as Harvard's starting weak-side linebacker.His first three years at Harvard were spent alternating between wide receiver and cornerback.

Queen won the Iron Crimson Award (for players under 240 pounds) as the top performer at the team's spring strength and conditioning workouts.He also had the team's top vertical jump at 36 feet, 5 inches.

In 2002, Queen was awarded his first Major "H" of career while seeing most of his playing time at strong safety.He made 28 tackles during the season, with 15 primary and 13 assisted stops.Queen also had one interception.

In the win over Princeton, Queen had 11 tackles, a pair of pass deflections, and a first career interception.

In 2001, Queen was awarded the Pat McInally '75 Award as most improved wide receiver during spring practice.

Queen said the undefeated season in 2001 - the first in 88 years at Harvard - was the highlight of his career.

"Everybody thinks Harvard players just study all the time and a couple of Saturdays out of the year they put on the pads and run around," Queen said."That's not the case at all.We have guys in the Ivy League going to the NFL every year.One of our guys (Jamil Soriano) last year plays offensive lineman for the New England Patriots."

Last summer Queen worked in the NFL's New York City headquarters doing media contractual work with ESPN, Fox and CBS.

"It was a great experience," Queen said."I was able to meet the commissioner, Paul Tagliabue, and talk with him.He is a really friendly guy.I was able to meet a lot of other influential people."

Queen said he plans on taking a year or two off to work before attending law school.

"I don't know if it will be Harvard because I'm a southern guy and it's pretty cold in the winter," he said.