Brandeis Judges is the name given to intercollegiate sports teams of

Brandeis University , mottoeng = "Truth even unto its innermost parts" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = NECHE , president = Ronald D. Liebowitz , ...

. They compete in the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

's Division III in the

University Athletic Association The University Athletic Association (UAA) is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division III. Member schools are highly selective universities located in Georgia, Illinois, M ...

conference. The team colors are

blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...

and white, and their mascots are The Judge and Ollie the Owl. The centerpiece of Brandeis athletics is the Joseph P. and Clara Ford Athletic and Recreation Complex, one of the largest and best-equipped, multipurpose, indoor athletic facilities in the Northeast. Benny Friedman, who was enshrined in the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

in 2005, served as Athletic Director from 1949 to 1963 and as head football coach from 1951 to 1960, when the football team was disbanded due to high costs.

Bud Collins Arthur Worth "Bud" Collins Jr. (June 17, 1929 – March 4, 2016) was an American journalist and television sportscaster, best known for his tennis commentary. Collins was married to photographer Anita Ruthling Klaussen. Education Collins was b ...

coached the men's tennis team from 1959 to 1963.

Chris Ford Christopher Joseph Ford (born January 11, 1949) is an American former professional basketball player and head coach. He is known for making the first counted NBA three-point shot on October 12, 1979. Amateur career A 6-foot-5 (1.96 m) guard from ...

(2001–03) was the third former Boston Celtics player to become head coach at Brandeis, following

Bob Brannum Robert Warren Brannum (May 28, 1925 – February 5, 2005) was an American basketball player. A 6'5" center from Winfield, Kansas, Brannum attended the University of Kentucky and Michigan State before playing professional basketball. Brannum wa ...

(1970–86) and

K.C. Jones K. C. Jones (May 25, 1932 – December 25, 2020) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He is best known for his association with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA), with whom he won 11 of his 12 ...

(1967–70). The basketball and volleyball teams play in the

Red Auerbach Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach (September 20, 1917 – October 28, 2006) was an American professional basketball coach and executive. He served as a head coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Boston Celtics. ...

Arena at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The arena is named after the legendary Boston Celtics coach.

Athletics

Baseball

Former head coach

Pete Varney Richard Fred "Pete" Varney Jr. (born April 10, 1949) is a retired American college baseball coach and a former professional baseball catcher. A graduate of Harvard College, he also played a notable role in the 1968 Yale vs. Harvard football ga ...

, who played

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

for the

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...

and

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bos ...

, retired after 34 years of coaching. Derek Carlson, former player and assistant coach under Pete Varney, is the current head coach of the Brandeis Varsity Baseball program. Pitcher

Nelson Figueroa Nelson Figueroa (born May 18, 1974) is an American former professional baseball pitcher and current pitching coach in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphi ...

is the first Brandeis graduate to play in Major League Baseball.

Basketball (men's)

The men's basketball team is routinely one of the most competitive Division III teams in the country. The Judges reached four-straight NCAA Tournaments between 2006 and 2010, including Elite 8 teams in 2008 and 2010. Several former players have gone on to play professionally. Three former NBA Boston Celtics players have coached basketball at Brandeis – KC Jones (67–70),

(70–86) and

(2001–2003).

Cross country

The cross country team is one of two teams in Brandeis history to win a Division III National Championship, taking home the crown in 1983. The squad is currently coached by Sinead Evans, who competed in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics in the 1500-meter. The 2009 men's cross country team saw junior Paul Norton earn All-American status at the NCAA Division III National Cross Country Meet, the best performance by a male cross country athlete in over a decade.

Fencing

Tim Morehouse Timothy Frank MorehouseElfman, Lois"Our Olympic Moment: Tim Morehouse Heads To London" ''Chutzpah'', July 25, 2012. Accessed July 26, 2012. ""Much of his sense of determination is inspired by his Jewish heritage. His maternal grandmother and two ...

('00) won a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Men's team

saber A sabre (French: �sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as the ...

in Beijing, China. Brandeis consistently sends several fencers to the NCAA National Championships. Brandeis hosted the

NCAA Fencing Championships The NCAA Fencing Championships are awarded at the annual tournament held in March to determine the NCAA's national collegiate individual and team championships in fencing. Individual champions are determined by performance during the NCAA fencing ...

in 1999, 2004, and 2016.

Soccer (men's)

The men's soccer team won the 1976 NCAA Division III National Championship and has reached the NCAA Division III Tournament 15 times. In 2012, the team won a share of the UAA title, its first in history, and returned to NCAAs after a 27-year absence, advancing to the Sweet 16 before losing to

Williams College Williams College is a private liberal arts college in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was established as a men's college in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams, a colonist from the Province of Massachusetts Bay who was kill ...

. The team ended that year ranked third in New England (behind Williams and Amherst College) and No. 13 in Division III. In 2013, the Judges again qualified for NCAAs, ending the year ranked No. 15 in Division III, again losing to Williams in the Sweet 16. In 2014, Brandeis was selected to participate in NCAAs for the third year in a row. The Judges had their best season in recent memory, finishing No. 6 in Division III after advancing to the Elite Eight. Along the way, the Judges defeated eventual NCAA Division III National Champion

Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1852 as Tufts College by Christian universalists who sought to provide a nonsectarian institution of higher learning. ...

of the

NESCAC The New England Small Collegiate Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising sports teams from eleven highly selective liberal arts institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. T ...

, 2–0, in the regular season, as well as NESCAC teams Bowdoin College, 1–0, and Amherst, on

penalty kick A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...

s, in the NCAA Tournament. The 2015 Brandeis squad won the University Athletic Association title, its second in history and first outright triumph. In the NCAA Tournament, the team then defeated

Thomas College Thomas College is a private college in Waterville, Maine. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. As of Fall 2019 Thomas College currently enrolled 1,949 students; 1,819 w ...

2–1 in the 1st Round and then downed Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in double-overtime by the same scoreline in the 2nd Round before falling to

Trinity University (Texas) Trinity University is a private liberal arts college in San Antonio, Texas. Founded in 1869, its student body consists of about 2,600 undergraduate and 200 graduate students. Trinity offers 49 majors and 61 minors among six degree programs, ...

in the Sweet 16 by a score of 2–0. In 2016, Brandeis advanced to its first Final 4 since 1976, downing Amherst on PKs once again in the Sweet 16 after a 1–1 draw, and Rutgers-Newark, 4–2, in the Elite 8. The team fell 1–0 to Calvin in the Final 4. Following the loss, veteran head coach Michael Coven, who was with the team for 44 seasons, announced his retirement, and was replaced by Gabe Margolis. After losing its opening game in 2017, the Judges won 12 of their next 16 to finish the regular season 14–4, second in the UAA. After defeating

Western Connecticut Western Connecticut is a geographic region of Connecticut located in the southwest corner of the state. Numerous towns are part of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (or WestCOG), one 9 regional councils of governments in Connecticut ...

in the 1st Round, 3–0, and Rutgers-Newark in the 2nd Round, 1–0, the squad moved on to the Sweet 16, where it beat previously undefeated

Drew University Drew University is a private university in Madison, New Jersey. Drew has been nicknamed the "University in the Forest" because of its wooded campus. As of fall 2020, more than 2,200 students were pursuing degrees at the university's three sch ...

, 1–0, setting up an Elite 8 match with defending national champion

, a team that the Judges had lost to in the regular season. In this match-up, however, Brandeis beat host Tufts, 1–0, in double-overtime, enabling the Judges to move on to their second Final 4 in as many years, and their first Final 4 under Margolis. In the national semifinal, the Judges fell to eventual champion

Messiah College Messiah University is a private interdenominational evangelical Christian university in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. History The school was founded as Messiah Bible School and Missionary Training Home in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. ...

, 3–2, in double-overtime, bringing the program's season to a close at 17–5. The squad also won the ECAC Championship in the 2006, 2010, and 2011 seasons.

Soccer (women's)

The women's soccer team won its first Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship in 2008. Since then, the squad has qualified for the NCAA Division III Tournament twice: 2010 and 2012. In 2012, the team advanced to the Elite Eight and finished the season ranked the top Division III program in New England and No. 8 in Division III.

Softball

The softball team has qualified for eight-straight postseason tournaments, including its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010.

Football

Brandeis' football team played its first game on September 30, 1950, a road win against

Maine Maritime Academy Maine Maritime Academy (Maine Maritime or MMA) is a public college focused on maritime training and located in Castine, Maine. The academy was established by the 90th Maine Legislature on March 21, 1941. Unlike federal service academies, a congr ...

. Their first varsity game was on September 29, 1951, with a home loss against the

University of New Hampshire The University of New Hampshire (UNH) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Durham, New Hampshire. It was founded and incorporated in 1866 as a land grant college in Hanover in connection with Dartmouth College, m ...

. The team won four of nine games during its first season. Brandeis Stadium opened in time for a home win against

American International College American International College (AIC) is a private college in Springfield, Massachusetts. History American International College was originally established on July 18, 1885, as the French Protestant College by Rev. Calvin E. Amaron, who soug ...

on October 13, 1951. On May 16, 1960, Brandeis announced it would discontinue its varsity football team. President Abram Sachar pointed to the cost of the team as one reason for the decision. Brandeis' football coach Benny Friedman said it was difficult to recruit football players who were also excellent students with so much competition in the Boston metropolitan area. Brandeis said the discontinuation of varsity football would allow it to expand intercollegiate activity in other sports. During its nine years of varsity play, Brandeis' football team recorded 34 wins, 33 losses, and four ties.

Facilities

The Gosman Sports and Recreation Center is the main athletic center on campus and includes indoor and outdoor facilities for the sports offered at the university. Since the building opened in 1991, the university has hosted four NCAA championships. The Gosman Center also served as the pre-season training home and practice facility of the Boston Celtics between 1991 and 1999.

Club and intramural sports

Brandeis also has 19 club sports and numerous intramural sports. The club sports include

sailing Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cou ...

which used to be a varsity sport,

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

ultimate Ultimate or Ultimates may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums * ''Ultimate'' (Jolin Tsai album) * ''Ultimate'' (Pet Shop Boys album) *''Ultimate!'', an album by The Yardbirds *''The Ultimate (Bryan Adams Album)'', a compilatio ...

crew A crew is a body or a class of people who work at a common activity, generally in a structured or hierarchical organization. A location in which a crew works is called a crewyard or a workyard. The word has nautical resonances: the tasks involved ...

lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensiv ...

field hockey Field hockey is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with ten outfield players and a goalkeeper. Teams must drive a round hockey ball by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting ...

squash Squash may refer to: Sports * Squash (sport), the high-speed racquet sport also known as squash racquets * Squash (professional wrestling), an extremely one-sided match in professional wrestling * Squash tennis, a game similar to squash but pla ...

, men's volleyball,

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

and martial arts. The Brandeis archery team hosts the annual Shamrock Shoot, which routinely draws Olympians. Students, staff, and faculty are allowed to play on intramural teams. Intramural sports include soccer, volleyball, basketball, innertube water polo, dodgeball, softball, and more

Notable Brandeis alumni in sports

Numerous Brandeis alumni have played major roles in the world of sports. Tim Morehouse

'98:

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

.Nelson Figueroa Stats , Baseball-Reference.com
/ref> *

Andy Jick Andrew J. Jick (May 9, 1952 – May 3, 2019) was an American public address announcer for the Boston Celtics and the Boston College Eagles. He was the PA announcer for the Boston Celtics, an NBA men's basketball team, from 1980 to 1997, and the ...

'74: Public address announcer for the

Boston College Eagles The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Boston College, located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level (Football Bowl Subdivisi ...

at the

Conte Forum The Silvio O. Conte Forum, commonly known as Conte Forum, Kelley Rink (for ice hockey games), or simply Conte, is an 8,606-seat multi-purpose arena which opened in 1988 on the campus of Boston College in Chestnut Hill, near Boston, Massachusett ...

. PA announcer for the Boston Celtics from 1980 to 1997, announcing five NBA Finals. * Myra Hiatt Kraft '64: Philanthropist and late wife of

Bob Kraft Robert Kenneth Kraft (born June 5, 1941) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainmen ...

, owner of the New England Patriots NFL football team. *

Jeffrey Lurie Jeffrey Robert Lurie (born September 8, 1951) is an American motion picture producer, businessman, and the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). Early life and education Lurie was born to a Jewish family in Bos ...

Phd. '87: Owner of the

Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...

NFL football team. *

'00: Fencer, Silver Medal winner in Men's Team Sabre at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

References

External links

* {{Massachusetts Sports