WALTHAM, Mass. -- Junior Madison Haft-Abromovitch of
Stratford, Connecticut, and senior
Hugh Licklider of
Newton, Massachusetts, members of the volleyball and men’s cross country teams, have been named Brandeis University Athletes of the Week for the week ending September 20. The Brandeis Athlete of the Week program is presented by The Chateau Restaurant and Jake n JOES Sports Grille.
Haft-Abromovitch averaged 3.73 kills on a .213 hitting percentage, 0.80 blocks and 4.53 points per set in a 2-2 week for the Judges. She opened the week with 17 kills and just two errors in 32 attempts for a .492 hitting percentage, along with three blocks, in a 3-1 win at Roger Williams. After being held to six kills in a 3-0 loss to William Smith and seven in a 3-0 loss to Tufts, Haft-Abromovitch had a career match in a 3-2 win over UMass Dartmouth. She had career-highs with 26 kills - sixth-most in a match in school history - six blocks (one solo) and 14 digs for her first collegiate double-double. She had seven kills in the first set and five in the fifth in the win. Haft-Abromovitch now ranks fourth in the University Athletic Association in kills per game and third in points per game.
After defeating Regis College, 3-0, on Tuesday evening to improve to 6-6 on the season, the Judges head to Rochester, New York, for the first of three UAA Round Robin weekends. They will face top-25 squads Emory and Washington University as well as rivals NYU.
Licklider was the top Division III competitor, 12th overall, at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational on Sept. 19. Shaving over a minute off his previous personal-best of 26:06, Licklider crossed the finish line of the eight-kilometer course with a time of 25:04.77. The Judges finished sixth overall, tops among D3 schools, with three of the top 10 divisional finishers. This is Licklider’s second Brandeis Athlete of the Week honor of 2026-27.
The Judges return to action on Friday morning, October 2, at the Paul Short Invitational at Lehigh University.
This is the 11th year that the Brandeis Athlete of the Week program has been presented by The Chateau Restaurant Group. The Athlete of the Year Program highlights top Brandeis student-athletes who have had an outstanding athletic achievement in the week prior. Each selected student-athlete will be featured on the Brandeis athletics homepage and inside the Chateau Waltham and Jake n JOES.
Owned and operated by the Nocera Family, the Chateau Restaurant of Waltham opened in 1933 and set the standard for providing the tradition of Italian family dining, friendly service, and quality food at reasonable prices for its customers. Located on 195 School Street, with 900 seats, the Chateau is always ready to accommodate large parties.
The Nocera Family consists of 6 brothers who have always had a passion for playing sports. In 2010, the Nocera Family launched a new concept, Jake n JOES Sports Grille. Jake n JOES Waltham opened in 2014 and is the best place to watch a game and enjoy quality food.
"Brandeis student-athletes are fantastic role models in our community,” says Chateau President Joe Nocera, “They exemplify the ideals of excellence and commitment both on and off the playing field. The Chateau Waltham and Jake n JOES Waltham are proud to partner with Brandeis Athletics to continue to enhance a positive focus within the Waltham Community."
Haft-Abromovitch is a 2024 graduate of Rye Country Day School. For more information on Brandeis volleyball, visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/wvball.
Licklider is a 2023 graduate of Boston College High School. For more information on Brandeis men’s cross country, visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/mens-cross-country.
For more information on Brandeis athletics, visit our web page at www.brandeisjudges.com or follow us on social media on Instagram, Facebook, and X, @BrandeisJudges.
