Redwood High senior Aurora DeVilbiss has committed to play Division I water polo at Harvard University, according to an Oct. 2 Redwood Bark profile.

DeVilbiss, a four-year varsity goalkeeper and senior captain in Larkspur, said she had been talking with Stanford and UC Davis before a Harvard coach watched her play at a summer tournament and began recruiting her.

“I actually really wasn’t considering Harvard. I was mostly talking to Stanford and Davis,” DeVilbiss told the Bark. She said she quickly realized the program was what she had been looking for.

After visiting Harvard’s campus, she received an offer, she told the Bark. She said the program’s emphasis on balancing academics and athletics, along with its family-oriented culture, sealed her decision.

DeVilbiss has started in goal for the Giants since her freshman year. She described the early adjustment as overwhelming, telling the Bark she struggled with directing older teammates while learning to become a more vocal leader.

Opponents have praised her ability in goal. After Tamalpais beat Redwood 15-11 on Sept. 23, Tam’s Sophia Uhlhorn-Thornton, a former club teammate of DeVilbiss, told the Marin Independent Journal that DeVilbiss “can get out of the water super high” and “makes insane blocks.” DeVilbiss recorded 15 saves in that game, the newspaper reported.

Head coach Brian Monty has praised her play this fall. After an 11-5 win over Las Lomas on Sept. 15, Monty told the Redwood Bark: “We executed a lot better, and our goalie was outstanding.”

Junior Samantha Riley, who has played alongside DeVilbiss at Redwood and against her in Olympic Development Program events, told the Bark that DeVilbiss shaped Riley’s own composure and defensive style. Riley said DeVilbiss’s ability to move past a bad play without getting in her own head influenced how Riley approaches pressure situations.

Harvard’s program is led by head coach Ted Minnis. The Crimson finished 2026 at 26-4 and won its second consecutive Collegiate Water Polo Association championship, defeating Princeton 8-7. Harvard later lost 15-5 to UCLA in the NCAA quarterfinals.

DeVilbiss said her senior-season focus is on the teammates she’ll leave behind. She wants to set examples in attendance, effort and support so the program’s culture outlasts her time in the pool.