Brandeis Magazine

The Brandeis softball team enjoyed one of its best seasons in 2010, reaching the NCAA Division 3 Tournament for the first time, cracking the national Top 20, and finishing 29-9-1. Pitcher Emily Vaillette ’10, second baseman Melisa Cagar ’11 and outfielder Brittany Grimm ’12 were named University Athletic Association All-Stars, while catcher/outfielder Erin Ross ’10 and catcher/outfielder Stacy Berg ’13 made the second team. Fourth-year coach Jessica Johnson and assistant Melissa Dubay were named the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.

In 2010, the Brandeis men’s and women’s tennis teams both earned national rankings for the first time in more than 20 years. The women peaked at No. 28 in Division 3, while the men ended the season ranked 30th. Men’s coach Ben Lamanna and assistant Payum Payman were named University Athletic Association Staff of the Year after guiding the Judges to a fourth-place finish in the conference tournament, thanks to Simon Miller ’11’s thrilling three-set singles victory against the University of Chicago.

Grayce Selig ’11 received All-America honors in two different seasons in 2010. She was fourth in the 1,500 meters at the NCAA Division 3 Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the spring and helped the Brandeis distance-medley relay team finish third in the indoor championships in the winter.

Guard Jessica Chapin ’10 became the first woman in school history to earn first-team All-America honors from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. She was named the UAA Player of the Year as a senior. Chapin finished her career as the only Brandeis women’s basketball player to finish in the top 10 in career points (1,280, sixth), rebounds (521, eighth), assists (262, sixth) and steals (243, third).

Jason Sobel ’97 played golf at Brandeis. Now he writes about it for espn.com. Sobel serves as the popular website’s golf columnist and blogger. He joined ESPN in 1997 and earned four Emmy Awards as a member of ESPN’s studio production department. He became espn.com’s golf editor in 2004 and was named columnist/blogger in 2008.

Kwame Graves-Fulgham ’08 is a member of the Boston Celtics, but don’t expect to see the former Brandeis basketball co-captain on the court. Graves-Fulgham works as the team’s assistant video coordinator. His responsibilities include breaking down video of upcoming Celtics opponents; updating, assembling and distributing video personnel reports to coaches and players; 
and recording game data.

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