Tufts Athletics
Annual Report

2018 | 19

When a student-athlete competes, a university competes.

Welcome

A letter from the director of athletics

Dear Friends of Tufts Athletics,

When a student athlete competes, a university competes.

As I review the 2018–19 Tufts Athletics Annual Report, I’m struck by the incredible support Tufts Athletics receives year in and year out from the university, the campus community, and our generous alumni, parents, and friends. That support, when combined with the talents of our Jumbo student-athletes and coaches, is a powerful force.

I hope you’ll enjoy this quick look back at the many impressive successes we achieved together in 2018–19:

Academics: With an average GPA across all sports above 3.35, our Jumbos earned a pair of Academic All-American selections, an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, multiple Phi Beta Kappa inductions, and 293 Academic All-NESCAC honors. Every varsity team had a GPA above 3.0, and four of our seniors earned the Tufts Alumni Association’s prestigious Senior Award for their achievements in the classroom and in the campus community.

Competition: On the way to our eighth consecutive top 10 finish in the Learfield IMG Directors’ Cup, our Tufts teams won four NESCAC championships, competed in three different Final Fours, brought home the NCAA championship trophy in men’s soccer for the third time in five years, and delivered top 20 finishes across multiple sports. Individually, our Jumbos earned a staggering 44 All-American honors (up from 31 last year), which included an NCAA championship in men’s swimming, a national player of the year honor in women’s lacrosse, and the first-ever ITA Cup national singles title in men’s tennis.

Community Service: The Jumbo football team deepened its mentoring relationships this year with children at Brooks Elementary School. Our field hockey team partnered with Special Olympics on an adult field hockey clinic, and we expanded our relationship with Team Impact. And throughout the year, our student-athletes and coaches gave their time and talents to support a variety of other organizations and causes, including the Harvard Homeless Shelter, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boston Children’s Hospital, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Fundraising: I am pleased to report that our year-over-year capital giving more than doubled in FY19. In addition, we experienced another solid increase in annual giving to Athletics, highlighted by 3,463 gifts on #GivingTuesday that accounted for nearly 40 percent of university-wide gifts received that day.

Tufts Squash Center: With the help of our very generous donors, we broke ground in June on the brand-new $6 million Tufts Squash Center. Scheduled for completion in spring 2020, this beautiful facility will serve not only as the home for the Jumbo squash teams but also as a new center for fitness and wellness for the campus community.

When our Jumbo student-athletes compete, Tufts University competes. And when our student-athletes raise a championship banner, the university does as well. I hope the many achievements described in this report, both on and off the field of play, are a source of pride for the entire Tufts community.

Excellence is Brown & Blue—Go Jumbos!

John Morris

John Morris
Director of Athletics

Academic Excellence

JUMBOS BRING THEIR “A” GAME

Colleen Doolan

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE

Meet Colleen Doolan, the recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and a Top 30 honoree out of nearly 600 national nominations for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She graduated early with summa cum laude honors as a biology and community health major and is currently attending Tufts University School of Medicine. Colleen was part of Tufts’ 800 freestyle relay whose 7:31.14 time in the NCAA Championships was one of the best relay finishes in program history.

Colleen Doolan
Josh Etkind

IN A CLASS OF HIS OWN

A winner of three straight NESCAC titles in the 110-meter hurdles, Josh Etkind was also at the front of his class as a mechanical engineering major. On the track, he qualified nationally for both the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships this year. During his career he set Jumbo records in the 60-meter and 110-meter hurdles and graduated magna cum laude with a 3.62 cumulative GPA.

Josh Etkind
Natalie Bettez

GOOD. BETTER. BETTEZ.

A Jumbo cross country team captain, Natalie Bettez achieved Google Cloud Academic All-America® honors this year—one of only two NESCAC runners to earn this distinction. In October she was the first Jumbo in 37 years to win the All–New England Championship race in cross country. Natalie graduated with a 3.98 GPA and was a NESCAC All-Academic Team member nine times. She now attends Tufts University School of Medicine.

Natalie Bettez
Sterling Weatherbie

STERLING PERFORMANCE

A United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-American, Sterling Weatherbie was a captain of the NCAA champion men’s soccer team. Weatherbie was voted New England Soccer Journal’s DIII Player of the Year and also earned D3soccer.com All-America status. He was selected the Defensive MVP at the NCAA Final Four. Graduating with an economics degree, Weatherbie was a Dean’s List honoree in all eight semesters and was a three-time NESCAC All- Academic Team member.

Sterling Weatherbie

FOURTEEN INDUCTED INTO PHI BETA KAPPA

Nine varsity and five club sports student-athletes were inducted into the Tufts chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, America’s most prestigious honor society celebrating excellence in the liberal arts and sciences since 1776. The honorees were:

Natalie Bettez
Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field

Emily Bowers
Women’s Soccer

Grace Goetcheus
Women’s Swimming

Hannah Gould
Women’s Club Tennis

Emily Dubuc Grussing
Club Women’s
Water Polo

Gabriel Kennedy
Men’s Club Karate

Madeline Lee
Women’s Swimming

Erika Madrian
Women’s Rowing

Erika Odmark
Women’s Rowing

Julia O’Gara
Women’s Fencing

Maia Tarnas
Women’s Rowing

Emily Touchet
Women’s Club
Ultimate Frisbee

Alexander True
Club Equestrian

Sabrina Van Mell
Sailing

JUMBOS MAKE THEIR MARKS

Tufts student-athletes accumulated a total of 293 Academic All-NESCAC honors in 2018–19. Each Jumbo earned a 3.5 or higher GPA. Tufts’ 138 honorees during the spring season alone were the most for any school in the conference. For the year, Jumbos earned a total of 148 perfect 4.0 GPAs.

4.0

4 SENIOR AWARD WINNERS

Four of the 12 Tufts University Alumni Association Senior Awards presented this year went to Jumbo student-athletes Patricia Blumeris (track and field), Ailish Dougherty (swimming), Will Shackelford (baseball), and Hiroto Watanabe (track and field). The awards are given for academic achievement, leadership, and participation in campus and community activities.

four senior portraits

ALL JUMBO TEAMS HAD A 3.0+ GPA

All 30 teams achieved cumulative GPAs over 3.0 for this academic year, with women’s fencing (3.60) leading the way. Rounding out the top three women’s teams were women’s cross country and track and field (3.59) and women’s soccer (3.495). On the men’s side, men’s tennis (3.55) earned the highest GPA, followed by men’s golf (3.47) and men’s cross country (3.46).

woman's soccer

JUMBOS ELEVATE THE COMMUNITY

and vice versa

A boy being handed a sports jersey.

JUMBOS MAKING AN IMPACT FOR CHILDREN WITH ILLNESSES

Founded by Tufts alumni, Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious illnesses with college athletic teams. This year, women’s lacrosse welcomed 14-year-old Grace Zinck to its team. Tufts also played a leading role at the Team IMPACT gala. Football teammate Zach Cummings and head coach Jay Civetti were featured speakers, and alumni Dan Kraft, A87, and Jay Calnan, E87, were honored for their work in founding the nonprofit.

A JUMBO TEAM OF TEAMS GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Jumbo teams often join together for good causes. Swimming and diving coordinated the Tufts Athletics Swim-A-Thon at which many teams raised money for Puerto Rico hurricane relief efforts. Field hockey led other Jumbo teams at a “Girls in Sports Day” for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The women’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams cut the rug together at the Dance Marathon benefiting Boston Children’s Hospital.

Tufts women's lacrosse team celebrating

SINGING THE PRAISES OF AN UNSUNG HERO

Senior Maddy Schwartz of the women’s lacrosse team was a finalist for the One Love Foundation YRL Unsung Hero Award this year. The award salutes the student-athlete who exhibits leadership as a positive role model and is also involved in community service. One Love’s mission is to end relationship violence by educating, empowering, and activating young people in a movement for change.

community photo

Commitment to Community

During an international training trip in June, the field hockey team volunteered to run a clinic with adult Special Olympians in Athens, Greece.

student athletes teach children to read

JUMBOS READ PLAYBOOKS, TEXTBOOKS, AND CHILDREN’S BOOKS.

The Jumbo football team recently developed the Tufts Reading Program, now in its second year. The Jumbos make a weekly visit to Brooks Elementary School in Medford where team members spend two hours in the morning and afternoon reading to and mentoring kindergartners through fourth-graders

COMING TOGETHER FOR THE LOCAL GOOD

Ice hockey student-athletes volunteered at the Harvard Homeless Shelter, and several other teams held events to benefit the Somerville Homeless Coalition. For the 30th year, the swimming and diving teams offered swim lessons at Hamilton Pool. Tufts hosted the annual Somerville versus Medford high school boys’ and girls’ basketball games. And the baseball team welcomed Somerville Little League to Huskins Field for a clinic.

MORE IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY

Jumbos supported numerous other causes in 2018-19, including:

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Boston Area Rape Crisis Center

Cradles to Crayons

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

East Coast Jumbos

Grassroot Soccer

Harlem Lacrosse

Headstrong

Homes for Our Troops

Hour of Power

Leonard Carmichael Society

Movember

Relay for Life

Swim Across America

Tufts Alumni Foster Children Holiday Gift Wrapping

Tufts Food Rescue Collaborative

Tufts Medical School Sharewood Project

Athletic Achievements

EXCELLENCE IS BROWN AND BLUE

UNDEFEATED NCAA CHAMPS

Tufts men’s soccer won the NCAA national championship for the third time in the past five years under the guidance of head coach Josh Shapiro. They became just the fifth program in NCAA Division III history to win three national championships, and the 2019 team went undefeated with an 18–0–3 record (8–0–2 in NESCAC).

men's soccer team celebrates
Men's Tennis

YOUTH MOVEMENT

With three freshmen and two sophomores in the starting lineup, this young Jumbo team received one of the six conference tournament berths for the first time since 2016. It’s a team to watch in 2019–20 and beyond.

Pictured: Boris Sorkin, ITA Cup singles national champion

Boris Sorkin
Women's Basketball

CUTTING THE NET

After knocking off rival Amherst College in the semifinals, Tufts defeated previously unbeaten Bowdoin College on their home court 75–69 to win the Jumbos’ third NESCAC title. Tufts advanced to the NCAA Elite 8 and finished 28–3 overall.

women's basketball team celebrates

3 SPORTS, 8 DAYS, 3 NESCAC TITLES

During an eight-day span in early May, three teams won NESCAC titles as softball, men’s lacrosse, and baseball captured conference crowns. Tufts won four NESCAC titles overall this year including women’s basketball.

champions
Men's Lacrosse

9 OUT OF 10 TITLES

Tufts won its ninth NESCAC title in the past 10 years and second in a row with a thrilling 17–16 overtime victory against Williams College at home on Bello Field. The Jumbos then earned the top seed in the NCAA North bracket, advanced into the Elite 8, and recorded an outstanding 19–2 record.

men's lacrosse team
Softball

10TH NESCAC TITLE

The Jumbos won their 10th NESCAC title with a 3–2 victory against Williams College at home on Spicer Field in early May. Tufts then hosted an NCAA Regional and advanced to the final round. The Jumbos won their first 13 games of the season and finished with a 32–10 mark.

women's softball team celebrates
Baseball

3 FOR 4 BATTING .750

Finishing 31–11 for the fourth-most wins in team history, the Jumbos won their sixth NESCAC title and third in the past four years with an 8–3 victory over Middlebury College. As NCAA Regional finalists, the Jumbos featured the most prolific offense in team history with 354 runs scored.

team photo of NESCAC champions

8th STRAIGHT TOP 10 FINISH IN LEARFIELD IMG DIRECTORS’ CUP

The Directors’ Cup honors NCAA institutions that achieve broad-based success across all sports. For the eighth straight year and 11th time overall, the Tufts University varsity athletics program finished in the top 10 of the Learfield IMG Directors’ Cup standings. A total of 15 Jumbo teams scored Directors’ Cup points for their performances in NCAA events during 2018–19, earning Tufts a seventh-place finish.

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR / CHAMPIONS

Along with great team success in 2018–19, many outstanding individual achievements by Jumbo student-athletes stood out. Two won national championships, one was a national Player of the Year, and many others received top honors in their respective sports.

Dakota Adamec, Women’s Lacrosse, Honda Award Finalist for Lacrosse, IWLCA Division III National Player of the Year, NESCAC Player of the Year

Roger Gu, Men’s Swimming, NCAA 50 Freestyle National Champion

Boris Sorkin, Men’s Tennis, ITA Division III Fall Singles National Champion

Kingsley Bowen, Men’s Swimming, NESCAC Swimmer of the Year

R.J. Hall, Baseball, NESCAC Pitcher of the Year

Tomo Iwasaki, Women’s Tennis, NESCAC Sportswoman of the Year

Ryan McDonald, Football, Gridiron Club New England Offensive Player of the Year, NESCAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year

Kristi Van Meter, Softball, NESCAC Pitcher of the Year

Hedy Veith, Women’s Lacrosse, NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year

Sterling Weatherbie, Men’s Soccer, New England Soccer Journal Division III Player of the Year

A few up-and-coming Jumbos were also saluted for their freshman season performances:

Cate Desler, Volleyball, NESCAC and NEWVA Rookie of the Year

Peter DeMaria, Baseball, NESCAC Rookie of the Year

Collette Smith, Women’s Lacrosse, NESCAC Rookie of the Year

Football

IRON-WILLED ON THE GRIDIRON

With this past season’s 7–2 record, the Tufts football team earned its fourth consecutive winning season for the first time since 1988–91. The Jumbo program’s 25–9 mark over the past four years (2015–18) represents the most wins by the Jumbos during a four-year period since 1979–82.

football player
Field Hockey

3RD NCAA FINAL

After a remarkable 1–0 penalty-strokes win at Salisbury to advance to the fifth NCAA Final Four in team history, the Jumbos reached the national championship game by defeating Johns Hopkins 3–1. They finished an outstanding season as the national runner-up with a 19–3 record.

field hockey
Women's Swimming & Diving

BEST NCAA FINISH SINCE 1990

In a landmark season for the program, Tufts’ second-place finish at the NESCAC Championship was the program’s best ever. Jumbo swimmers posted seven top-three finishes at the meet. The team then qualified 10 individuals for the NCAA Championships, where their 16th-place showing was the program best since 1990.

women's swimming and diving
Women's Lacrosse

FIRST FINAL FOUR

Tufts had a historic 2019 season in which they qualified for NCAAs for the second consecutive year, hosted an NCAA Regional for the first time in program history, and capped off the year with a first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance. The Jumbos finished with a 19–3 record, three more victories than any previous team in their history.

Pictured: Dakota Adamec, DIII National Player of the Year

women's lacrosse
Men's Swimming & Diving

TOP 10 AGAIN

Tufts qualified 13 individuals for the NCAA Championship meet and finished 10th as a team, marking the third straight year that the Jumbos have finished in the top 10 nationally. Eleven swimmers earned All-American honors. Tufts was also the NESCAC runner-up and won nine individual and relay events at the conference meet.

Pictured: Roger Gu, NCAA Champion

Men's Swimming & Diving
Men's Cross Country

Going the Distance

The Jumbos earned the program’s 15th berth into the NCAA Championship race after placing fifth out of 58 teams at the NCAA Regional Championship. The team joined women’s cross country in hosting the NESCAC Championship for the first time since 2002.

Men's Cross Country
Golf

SUCCESS ON THE GREEN

For the second year in a row, Tufts was one of just four teams in NESCAC to qualify for the conference championship tournament. The Jumbos earned the berth in exciting fashion by erasing a five-stroke deficit and passing Williams on the final day of the NESCAC Qualifier.

Women's Squash

BEST RANKING SINCE 2008

Tufts continued its upward climb by finishing the year with a 12–7 record and a #18 national ranking, the program’s best since 2008. Tufts also earned a fifth-place finish in NESCAC for the second straight year.

Ice Hockey

5TH CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

Tufts qualified for its fifth consecutive conference tournament, the longest run of NESCAC appearances (2015–19) by the program since the Jumbos joined the league in 2001. A 5–0 victory in a must-win game at Bowdoin College helped the Jumbos earn the berth.

Women's Cross Country

12TH AT NCAA MEET

Earning an NCAA Championship Race berth for the sixth consecutive season, the Jumbos placed 12th at the national championship meet for their sixth straight top 20 performance. The team also posted strong finishes of fifth at NCAA Regionals and fourth in NESCAC.

Co-ed Sailing

WIND POWER

The Jumbos once again earned a berth in the Intercollegiate Sailing Association national championship regatta, held in Newport, R.I. Tufts placed sixth out of 18 teams in the semifinals to move on to the national finals where they finished 11th. The Jumbos were fifth among New England teams.

Men's Basketball

NET GAINS

A young Tufts squad that included just one senior became the first team in NESCAC Tournament history to win a conference quarterfinal game as the eighthseed when they defeated #1 seed Middlebury College. This win advanced Tufts to the NESCAC Final Four for the third time in the last four seasons.

Volleyball

WINNING SPIKES

The Jumbos won the very competitive MIT Invitational after posting victories against regionally ranked teams Springfield, Babson, and MIT. Tufts advanced to the NESCAC semifinals and finished with a 16–10 record.

Men's Rowing

BEST NEW ENGLAND FINISH SINCE ’92

Tufts placed fifth in the grand final at the New England Rowing Championships for its highest finish at the event since 1992. The Jumbos won their five-team heat that day, edging eights from UMass and Boston College to earn a spot in the grand final for the third straight year.

Men's Track & Field

IN THE RUNNING

The Jumbos finished as the runner-up at the New England Division III indoor meet and placed second at both the NESCAC Championships and the New England Division III meet during the outdoor season. Five Jumbos were NCAA qualifiers, and one earned All-American honors.

Men's Squash

COURT REPORT

One of the most improved teams in NESCAC, Tufts received the seventh seed for the conference tournament—the Jumbos’ best since the 2009–10 season. They also advanced to the conference quarterfinals for the first time since 2010 and earned a #24 national ranking.

Women's Fencing

NCAA NORTHEAST REGIONAL QUALIFIERS

Six Jumbos qualified to compete at the 2019 NCAA Northeast Regional hosted by Columbia University and combined for 13 individual victories at the event. The Tufts team also hosted a Northeast Fencing Conference meet and won four of their six competitions.

Women's Track & Field

4X800 METER RELAY RECORD

The Jumbos had strong showings at both New England Division III Championship meets, placing third and winning two individual titles indoors and then winning the 4x800-meter outdoor relay with a school-record 9:09.79 time.

Women's Tennis

18TH NCAA APPEARANCE

Making their 18th NCAA appearance in the past 19 years, the Jumbos advanced into the NCAA Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season. They also had a doubles pair earn an NCAA berth. Among the team’s victories this season was the program’s first win against Williams College since 1991.

Women's Soccer

KICKING IT UP A NOTCH

Receiving the program’s second straight NCAA berth, Tufts won its first NCAA game since 2007 with a 2–0 victory against Penn State Behrend. In the next round, the Jumbos fell just short, losing 1–0 in the 108th minute of play at William Smith. Tufts finished 11–6–2, its most wins since 2007.

Women's Rowing

BRINGING THE HEAT

The Jumbos’ second varsity eight finished as the runner-up at the National Invitation Rowing Championships, trailing only eventual national champion Bates College in the grand final. Tufts narrowly missed qualifying for NCAAs and finished with a #11 national ranking.

Women's Sailing

ON THE WATER FRONT

For the third straight year the Tufts women qualified for the ICSA national championships. Competing in a semifinal where the top nine teams moved on to the national final, Tufts placed 12th. In the fall, Tufts was 13th at the ICSA Singlehanded National Championship.

CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

Club sports are a vibrant part of Tufts Athletics. This academic year, 931 students participated in one or more of 25 club programs. Some 2018–19 highlights included:

WOMEN’S SKIING

Tufts women’s skiing tied for eighth out of 21 teams at the 2019 U.S. Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) National Championships.

WOMEN’S AND MEN’S ULTIMATE FRISBEE

Both Tufts’ men’s and women’s Ultimate teams qualified for the 2019 USA Ultimate College Championships.

ROCK CLIMBING

Tufts rock climbing had 13 individuals qualify for the 2019 USA Climbing Collegiate National Championships. The team had an excellent showing, placing fifth overall and third in the bouldering event.

44 ALL-AMERICANS

Dakota Adamec
Women’s Lacrosse

Kingsley Bowen
Men’s Swimming

Joe Braun
Men’s Soccer

Jack Donohue
Men’s Lacrosse

Maggie Dorr
Women’s Tennis

Emily Games
Women’s Lacrosse

Lily Kurtz
Women’s Swimming

Sarah Maloney
Women’s Soccer

Matt Manfre
Men’s Swimming

Annie Sullivan
Women’s Lacrosse

Gavin Tasker
Men’s Soccer

Tyler Tatro
Men’s Swimming

Arend Broekmate
Men’s Lacrosse

Noah Cagley
Men’s Swimming

Costa Camerano
Men’s Swimming

Abby Claus
Women’s Swimming

Ben Connelly
Men’s Lacrosse

Issy Del Priore
Field Hockey

Emma Donchi
Women’s Swimming

Colleen Doolan
Women’s Swimming

Caroline Garrido
Women’s Tennis

Grace Goetcheus
Women’s Swimming

Roger Gu
Men’s Swimming

R.J. Hall
Baseball

Kyle Helfrich
Men’s Lacrosse

Mary Hufziger
Women’s Swimming

Tar Tar Jarusinchai
Men’s Swimming

John Koster
Men’s Swimming

Danny Murphy
Men’s Lacrosse

Mason Pollack
Men’s Lacrosse

Sami Rubin
Women’s Club Skiing

Garrett Samuelson
Men’s Lacrosse

Nick Shanks
Men’s Lacrosse

Amy Socha
Women’s Swimming

Boris Sorkin
Men’s Tennis

Stewart Stockdale
Men’s Lacrosse

Nate Tingen
Men’s Swimming

Rhemi Toth
Women’s Track & Field

Matt Treiber
Men’s Lacrosse

Gigi Tutoni
Field Hockey

Hedy Veith
Women’s Lacrosse

Victor Vollbrechthausen
Men’s Swimming

Benji Wallace
Men’s Track & Field

Sterling Weatherbie
Men’s Soccer

GREAT COACHES SET THE BAR

AND INSPIRE OUR STUDENT ATHLETES TO RAISE IT

Courtney Shute and John Casey
Courtney Shute and John Casey

A DEDICATED PAIR OF HALL OF FAME COACHES

Two coaches received Hall of Fame accolades this year. Women’s lacrosse coach Courtney Shute was inducted into the Cornell University Athletics Hall of Fame, and baseball’s John Casey received entry into the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association Hall of Fame. Shute was named NESCAC Co-Coach of the Year while Casey earned his 750th career win in the spring.

Josh Shapiro
Courtney Shute and John Casey

RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY

After guiding men’s soccer to its third NCAA championship in the past five years, the Jumbo coaches were selected as the United Soccer Coaches National Staff of the Year. Tufts’ staff included head coach Josh Shapiro and assistant coaches Jordan Ciuffetelli, Matt Zinner, and Fernando Valencia.

Ben Sands

WINNING SPIRIT. HEARTFELT LOSS.

Ben Sands, a 1954 Tufts University graduate and the recipient of the Department of Athletics’ first Brown and Blue Award in April 2018, passed away in January following a brief illness. Ben was a former hockey player and coach of the Jumbos who as an alumnus worked tirelessly to keep the program in good standing.

TWO EARN NESCAC HONORS

In his second year at Tufts, Joe Raho won both NESCAC Squash Coach of the Year honors. He led the women’s team to a #18 national ranking and the men to their highest seed in the conference tournament since 2010. Adam Hoyt was named NESCAC Women’s Swimming Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Jumbos to a best-ever second-place finish in the conference championship.

NOTEWORTHY. AND AWARD-WORTHY.

Jay Civetti, Football—Murray Lewis Award, presented annually by the Boston Chapter of the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Football Officials to an individual who has made a positive contribution to New England football.

Paul Sweeney, Athletic Communications—Irving T. Marsh Award, presented to an individual who in the opinion of the membership and executive board of ECAC-SIDA has exhibited excellence in the field of sports information.

Nancy Bigelow, former swimming coach—College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America Lifetime Achievement Award

JUMBO FAREWELL. JUMBO WELCOME.

Nick Mitropoulos retired after 35 years working with Tufts University student-athletes as the director of sports medicine. Matt Whalen was hired as the new director of sports medicine/head athletic trainer in June.

Cheryl Milligan, who directed the Tufts softball team to three consecutive NCAA Championships (2013–15), stepped down as head coach after 15 seasons. In the spring, after guiding the Jumbos to their first NESCAC title since 2015, interim head coach Lauren Ebstein was promoted to head coach.

Carla Berube, who guided Tufts women’s basketball to four consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances from 2014 to 2017, left Tufts to become the new head coach at Princeton. Jill Pace, a former women’s basketball assistant coach at Tufts who was a part of two Final Four appearances with the team, was hired as the next head coach.

Claims to Fame

SECOND CLASS OF HONOREES INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME

Ten outstanding student-athletes, coaches, and administrators, along with two memorable teams, were chosen as the second class of inductees to the Tufts University Athletics Hall of Fame. Seven decades and 11 sports were represented as Tufts continued the inspiring challenge of recognizing the great individuals and teams from its nearly 150 years of athletics history.

unwavering support

FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES AND OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY

Pie chart depicting percentage of all donors. Pie chart depicting percentage of total funds raised Infographic depicting annual fund gifts. Bar graph depicting donations over time. Bar graph depicting number of donors over time.

Commitment to Squash

A new on-campus squash center is one of the priorities of the university’s largest fundraising initiative—Brighter World: The Campaign for Tufts. Thanks to the generosity of 19 donors, we raised the $6 million-plus required to build it. Construction has already begun on the eight international regulation courts and is due to be completed by the end of spring 2020. The courts will attract elite student-athletes from around the world and will be instrumental in developing a national-caliber men’s and women’s squash program. What’s more, this new center will add another fitness resource for the greater university and Medford/Somerville communities, and will help foster lifelong athletic and fitness activities. We look forward to seeing squash reclaim its prominent place in the Tufts athletics legacy.

squash court

JUMBOS HELPING JUMBOS

This year, we brought our community together:

There are now 16 Jumbo programs with active “Friends of” groups, including baseball, women’s basketball, football, men’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s rowing, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis, and men’s and women’s track and field/cross country.

Our community came together to support Tufts Athletics at the Women’s Soccer Alumnae Mentoring/Networking Night, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field/Cross Country Alumni Meet, Friends of Men’s Soccer Kick-Off Events (in Boston and New York), and the Men’s and Women’s Rowing Alumni Regatta, among other events that focused on alumni and parent engagement.

FUNDRAISING: GOING THE EXTRA MILE

Our generous donors help fund day-to-day operational needs, as well as long-term needs for capital projects. Here are some ways they helped us flex our fundraising muscles in 2018–19:

Tufts Athletics ruled the day this year. We generated $463,469 in donations. Our 3,463 gifts were nearly 40 percent of all gifts made university-wide.

Three teams—men’s ice hockey, field hockey, and men’s tennis— raised nearly $69,000 from 241 alumni, parents, and friends.

PARTNERING ON LONG-TERM INITIATIVES

In 2018–19, we strengthened our commitment to long-term development priorities with the help of our dedicated volunteers and partners.

The Baseball Facility Project Committee is made up of 11 alumni and parent members focused on raising the necessary funding to build a new baseball stadium on campus.

We’re working with University Communications and Marketing to create dynamic webpages to help drive our fundraising for some of our top capital projects.

Brighter World: The Campaign for Tufts

ATHLETICS CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE

Seventeen key alumni and parent volunteers make the Athletics Campaign Committee one of the university’s largest focused on helping us achieve our priority objectives.

John Bello, A68, A13P
Judy Leo Bongiorno, J90
David Callahan, A92
David Cunningham, A98
Jennifer Foxson, J91
Paul Glickman, A84, A16P, A22P
Edward Hattler, MD, A80, A18P, A20P
Daniel Joseph, A88, A22P
Robert Keller, A83, Co-Chair
Bruce Mandell, A86
Dana Nielsen, A96
Russell O’Brien, Esq., A79, A20P
John Regan, A90, Co-Chair
Maggi Smeal, MD, A18P, A20P
Neil Townsend, E87
Franco Vigna, MD, MPH, FACOS, A89
Courtney Wang, A78, A17P, EG19P

book cover

GIFTS THAT HELP BUILD OUR FUTURE

Tufts Athletics is strengthened by endowed funds created through the generosity of our supporters. These funds, with a market value of more than $3 million, provide essential and ongoing support for our varsity and club sports programs.*

Ice Hockey Endowment
John C. Richmond, M.D., Athletic Trainer Endowment Jumbo Baseball Endowed Fund
Jumbo Student-Athletes Endowed Fund
Kay and Bill Duryea Endowed Men’s Lacrosse Fund
Men’s Crew Team Coach
Mike Daly Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Endowed Fund
Paige Family Endowed Fund
Richard A. Reines, M.D., A71, M76 Endowed Fund for Men’s Swimming
Tufts Ultimate Frisbee Teams Support Fund

*Aggregate market value as of June 30, 2019.

Mike Daly