Senior
Rachel Watler of
Stevenson Ranch, California, from the women’s soccer team and first-year
Daniel Shemesh of
Modiin, Israel, and the men’s tennis team have been named the Brandeis University Athletes of the Week for the week ending September 30. The Brandeis Athlete of the Week program is presented by The Chateau Restaurant and Jake N Joes Bar and Grill.
Watler, who has been named the University Athletic Association Player of the Week for the past two weeks – once as defensive player and once as offensive player – has led the 21
st-ranked Judges to their best start in six years. Last week, she scored all three Brandeis goals as they went 2-0 against non-conference foes. Watler scored in the 30
th minute of a 1-0 win over Lesley University on Sept. 25, then scored goals in the 79
th and 82
nd minutes of a come-from-behind win over Trinity (Conn.) College on Sept. 28 in front of a raucous Homecoming crowd.
With her three goals last week, Watler tied for the team lead with six goals and 19 points. She is tied for the UAA lead with seven assists.
At 9-1, Brandeis is off to its best start under head coach
Mary Shimko ’14, their best since 2018. The Judges’ final seven games of the season are against University Athletic Association opponents, six of whom are also among the top 25 in Division III. The Judges travel to #4 Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Oct. 5, to start the difficult run.
Shemesh competed in his second collegiate event over the weekend, the challenging Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) New England Regional championships. He teamed with graduate student
Dylan Walters of
Baltimore, Maryland, to reach the quarterfinals of the doubles tournament. The duo earned a 9-16 seed and a first-round bye. In the second round they defeated a team from Trinity, 8-3, and bested a team from Middlebury, 8-6, in the Round of 16 to advance to the second day of competition. In the quarterfinals, they met a team from host Tufts University and were extended to a tiebreaker, where they fell, 8-7 (7-5). In singles action, Shemesh won his first-round match against an opponent from Springfield College, 7-5, 6-1, but fell to a 9-16 seed from Amherst, 6-4, 6-2, in the second round.
Shemesh and the Judges have completed their fall schedule and will return to action in 2025.
This is the ninth 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."
Watler is a 2021 graduate of West Ranch High School. For more information on Brandeis women’s soccer, visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/womens-soccer.
Shemesh is a 2024 graduate of Ironi Hey School Modiin. For more information on Brandeis men’s tennis visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/mens-tennis.
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.
