WALTHAM, Mass. – Men’s tennis first-year
Daniel Shemesh of
Modiin, Israel, and women’s basketball junior
Abby Kennedy of
Half Moon Bay, California, have been named the Brandeis University Athletes of the Week for the week ending February 23. The Brandeis Athlete of the Week program is presented by The Chateau Restaurant and Jake N Joes Bar and Grill.
Shemesh and the men’s tennis team traveled to California last week for the team’s annual February break trip. After dropping his first two matches to #2-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Shemesh won his last four, two at #1 doubles with partner
Dylan Walters and two at #2 singles. In a 4-3 loss to #19 University of Redlands, Shemesh and Walters earned a 7-6 doubles win, and Shemesh defeated his opponent, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, at #2 singles, his first match at that level. In the team’s 5-2 win over Occidental, Shemesh and Walters won, 6-1, and Shemesh won in singles, 6-2, 6-4 for the team’s first win of the season.
The Brandeis men’s tennis team, with a 1-3 record, returns to action on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. against Division II Franklin Pierce University.
Kennedy was the women’s basketball team’s leading scorer in a 1-1 week. She averaged 13.5 points and six rebounds per game, shooting 37% from the field (10-27) and 31.2% from 3-point range (5-16). Kennedy led the team with 16 points – eight in each half – as the Judges defeated Case Western Reserve, 58-43, their second-best defensive effort in a University Athletic Association game this season. Kennedy also had seven rebounds and two assists in the contest. In a 62-51 loss to Carnegie Mellon, Kennedy tied with two others for team-high honors with 11 points while also grabbing five boards.
Overall this season, Kennedy is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.2 points per game. She is second on the team with 20 steals and third with 27 3-pointers.
The Judges, who are 12-12 in head coach
Julie Prichett’s first season, 5-8 in the UAA, close out their regular season on March 1 against top-ranked NYU.
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."
Shemesh is a 2024 graduate of Ironi Hei Modiin. For more information on Brandeis men’s tennis, visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/mten.
Kennedy is a 2022 graduate of Half Moon Bay High School. For more information on Brandeis women’s basketball, please visit our homepage at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/wbball.
For more information on Brandeis athletics, visit our web page at
www.brandeisjudges.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook @BrandeisJudges.
