Women’s track and field junior captain
Emma Liu of
Taipei, Taiwan, and softball sophomore shortstop
Katie Baydian of
Massapequa, New York, have been named the Brandeis University Athletes of the Week for the week ending March 31. The Brandeis Athlete of the Week program is presented by The Chateau Restaurant and Jake N Joes Bar and Grill.
Liu, competing at the Judges’ first outdoor meet of the season at Tufts University’s Snowflake Classic, set a new school record in the hammer throw. She finished second with a toss of 45.72 meters (150 feet, 0 inches), breaking the old record that had stood since the early 2000s. The previous mark of 43.84 meters was set by Michelle Wilson ’02, and Liu bested it by more than six feet. She is currently ranked 41
st in Division III this season and fourth in the University Athletic Association. The top 22 at the end of the season are selected to the NCAA Division III Championships.
Brandeis track and field competes at the Amherst College Spring Fling this weekend.
Baydian led the Brandeis offense in a 4-1 week. She batted .556 with 5 RBI and 7 runs scored in five games. She hit safely in every contest with four multiple-hit games, while scoring a run in all five games as well. She had four doubles and a home run for a .955 slugging percentage, and stole a base. In the team's UAA wins over NYU, she singled and scored on a home run in the bottom of the first of game 1, a 2-0 Judges' win. In Game 2, she hit the first pitch of the bottom of the seventh inning out to center for a walk-off 5-4 win. It was her first career home run. In Game 3, she went 3-4 with two runs scored, two RBI and a double as Brandeis erased an early 8-0 deficit only to fall, 13-12, in eight. Overall this season, Baydian is hitting .362, second on the team, with a team-high eight doubles. She has one home run, 10 RBI and 10 runs scored.
Brandeis has a 5-16-1 record after a pair of games against local rivals Wellesley College on Wednesday afternoon. The Judges are at WPI on Friday at 3 p.m. for a doubleheader.
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."
Liu is a 2022 graduate of the Phillips Exeter Academy. For more information on Brandeis women’s track and field, visit their web page at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/wtrack.
Baydian is a 2023 graduate of Our Lady of Mercy Academy. For more information on Brandeis softball, please visit our homepage at
https://brandeisjudges.com/sports/softball.
For more information on Brandeis athletics, visit our web page at
www.brandeisjudges.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook @BrandeisJudges.
