Alumni Spotlights are Q&A's with former Brandeis student-athletes, across a myriad of disciplines, as they reflect on their Brandeis experience and how it has shaped their lives today. Read more spotlight features here.
Name: Tracy Marien '03
Sports: Volleyball and Fencing
Current job: Urologist
BIO
A native of Lincoln, Rhode Island, Tracy Marien was a two-sport athlete as a defensive specialist for the volleyball team while competing in sabre for the fencing. Despite having never fenced before coming to Brandeis, she developed into a two-time NCAA Championship qualifier and All-American as a senior. She also earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in both sports as a senior. She graduated summa cum laude with degrees in chemistry, biology and biochemistry.
After graduating from Brandeis, Marien attended medical school at New York University, going into the field of urology. She did her residency at NYU and a fellowship at Vanderbilt University. After two years in Nashville, Tennessee, she moved to San Diego, California in 2016 and has been practicing urology there ever since.
Tracy Marien ill be one of six Judges inducted into the Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame during
Homecoming on September 28th.
Registration for the Hall of Fame is open now!
Q: What attracted you to Brandeis in the first place?
I was particularly drawn to Brandeis for its strong academic reputation, especially in the sciences. Initially, I hadn't planned on playing sports in college, despite being a multi-sport athlete in high school.
Q: Describe your overall experience as a student-athlete. What does it mean to you now/what did it mean to you while you were an undergraduate?
Being a student-athlete challenged my ability to balance the pursuit of academic excellence with attending practices, games, and meets. I remember one time, while traveling by air to a volleyball tournament, I was so tired that I fell asleep on the plane before it even took off and woke up after it landed. Juggling volleyball, fencing, and demanding classes like organic chemistry was both challenging and rewarding, and I am proud of my accomplishments as a student-athlete.
Q: What prompted you to start fencing while you were in college?
When I started college in 1999, there was a physical fitness requirement. You could opt out of these requirements at the beginning of the year by completing physical tests, such as running a timed mile. After I completed these tests and placed out of the physical fitness course requirements, I received a letter from Coach Shipman inviting me to try out for the fencing team. Since it was a different season than volleyball, I thought, why not!
Q: How did you balance playing multiple sports?
Since women's volleyball was a fall sport and fencing was a winter sport, it wasn't difficult to be a member of both teams.
Q: Were there any similarities between volleyball and fencing?
I don't think there is much overlap in skill sets between the two sports. The only similarity I appreciate is that they were both very much team sports. Whether you were up at the serving line during a volleyball game or on the strip for your next bout, you always had the support of your teammates.
Q: Do you have any advice for current or future Brandeis Student-Athletes?
As I stated earlier, I wasn't planning on playing sports in college despite being a three-sport athlete in high school. I was concerned that playing sports would hinder my ability to excel academically. However, I'm glad I changed my mind and decided to play volleyball and fence. I would encourage anyone considering being a student-athlete to go for it! Playing sports is how I met many of my college friends, found part-time work in the athletics office, and gathered material for personal statements when applying to medical school and residency.
Q: Do you keep in touch with any of your former Brandeis teammates? How?
Initially, I stayed in touch when I was living in the Boston area after graduation and started medical school at NYU. We used to meet up in Boston and sometimes in NYC. However, as life got busier with residency and other commitments, I am sad to say I have not been in touch with anyone for years.
Q: Looking back on your career at Brandeis, do you have any one or two moments that you look back on and cherish?
Some of the most special moments were traveling with the teams, whether by bus or plane, to tournaments and meets. Traveling by bus all the way from Massachusetts to North Carolina is not for the faint of heart.
Q: What personal or professional accomplishments are you most proud of since you graduated?
Since graduating from Brandeis, I am proud to have graduated from NYU medical school in 2009 and completed my urology residency and fellowship in 2016. I have been practicing as a urologist in San Diego since then. I am also proud to have welcomed my son, Finley, into the world in September 2023 with my husband, Dr. David Hatcher, who is also a urologist.
