WALTHAM, Mass. – Junior
Bhakti Parwani of
Ahmedabad, India, from the women’s tennis team and graduate student
Marc Maestri of
Katonah, New York, and the baseball team have been named the Brandeis University Athletes of the Week for the week ending March 31.
Parwani was undefeated for the Brandeis women’s tennis team in a 2-0 week as the Judges won both matches by a 9-0 score. In a win over Springfield College on March 28, she was an 8-0 winner with partner Rebecca Suarez at #1 doubles and a 6-2, 6-2, winner at #1 singles. Against Trinity (Conn.) College on March 29, Parwani and Suarez improved to 12-2 this year as a team with an 8-6 win. She closed out her week with another 6-2, 6-2, win against the Bantams, this time at #2 singles.
Overall this season, Parwani is 6-4 overall and 5-3 in singles during the dual-match season. She is tied for the overall team lead in singles wins. In doubles action, her 12-3 record trails only Suarez, her primary teammate, for the team lead.
The Judges, who have a 5-6 record this season, return to action on Saturday, April 6
th against their University Athletic Association rivals from NYU at 10 a.m., with a match against Wellesley College the next day at 1 p.m. – a change from the initial 10 a.m. starting time.
Maestri shined for the Judges with their best pitching performance of the week. He was a tough-luck loser in a 1-0 defeat against WPI on March 29, allowing just one earned run over seven innings of work. He surrendered five hits and struck out five without a walk. Maestri’s only mistakes came in the third inning, when he allowed back-to-back doubles to start the inning, allowing the lone run of the game. It marked the second-straight start in which Maestri kept his opponents in check without receiving any run support, as he suffered a 2-0 loss to Wheaton College the previous week.
In the second contest against WPI, a 13-1 defeat for the Judges, Maestri also delivered a pinch-hit double in his first collegiate plate appearance.
Brandeis is 4-12 on the season heading into their University Athletic Association series opener at Case Western Reserve this weekend in Cleveland. The series starts on April 5 at 3 p.m.
This is the eighth year that the Brandeis Athlete of the Week program has been presented by The Chateau Restaurant Group. The Athlete of the Year Program highlights a top Brandeis student-athlete who has had an outstanding athletic achievement from 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."
Parwani is a 2021 graduate of Kumkum School. For more information on Brandeis women’s tennis, visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/womens-tennis
Maestri is a 2018 graduate of Katonah High School. For more information on Brandeis baseball visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/baseball.
For more information on Brandeis athletics, visit our web page at
www.brandeisjudges.com or follow us on social media on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook @BrandeisJudges.
