LEFT: Theresa Gomes today; RIGHT: Theresa Gomes in uniform, swinging at a pitch during a softball game

FOBA 9/23/2026 1:08:00 PM Adam Levin '94

Hall of Fame Spotlight: Tricia Gomes '97

FOBA 9/23/2026 1:08:00 PM Adam Levin '94

Hall of Fame Spotlight: Tricia Gomes '97

This is the fifth of five features on the Brandeis Atheltics Hall of Fame Class of 2026. For more information on the Hall of Fame and Homecoming, on October 3, 2026, visit the event home page, which includes a schedule of events and registration link!

When softball fans look through the Brandeis University record books, a few statistical feats leap off the page. Among the most eye-popping are two separate seasons featuring a .560 batting average—achieved by a single, relentless lead-off hitter who routinely turned high-level Division III pitching into a masterclass in contact hitting. That player was Theresa Gomes '97 - Tricia to her teammates and classmates.

A cornerstone of the Judges' lineup in the mid-1990s, Gomes combined elite hand-eye coordination, deceptive extra-base power, and electric base running to cement her place as one of the most lethal offensive threats in program history. Now, her storied career receives the ultimate university recognition as she takes her place in the Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame.
Gomes' path to athletic excellence began in Wareham, Massachusetts. Raised from infancy by her aunt and uncle alongside her cousin—whom she considers a brother—Gomes was a natural, competitive athlete. At age nine, she headed to a local field intending to try out for Little League baseball. However, the local high school varsity softball coach spotted her athleticism and invited her to join a newly forming girls' softball league.

Recognizing her potential, the coach drove Gomes and her teammates to travel games in the back of his pickup truck and arranged for her to attend summer softball development camps. By the eighth grade, Gomes was stepping up to catch for the high school varsity squad, laying the foundation for a standout high school career where she excelled in field hockey, basketball, and softball.
Gomes was originally recruited to Brandeis to play basketball, suiting up on the court during her freshman year. However, her collegiate journey shifted permanently after a meeting with then-head softball coach Mary Sullivan. Recognizing Gomes' game-changing athletic potential, Sullivan invited her onto the softball squad.

Though Gomes had spent her high school years behind the plate as a catcher, roster needs required flexibility. She made a seamless transition to left field, anchoring the Judges' outfield defense while blossoming into an unstoppable force at the top of the batting order.

Batting lead-off, Gomes was an opposing pitcher's worst nightmare. She possessed extraordinary plate discipline, rarely striking out and consistently getting on base more than half the time. Under the guidance of assistant coach Dick Fennelley, Gomes refined her swing mechanics to consistently make hard contact and drive the ball into the gaps.

"I was a good softball player when I got to Brandeis, but I became a much better hitter while I was there," Gomes said.

The results were historic: twice in her collegiate career, she posted an astonishing .560 batting average. During her sophomore campaign, her blistering pace included leading all of Division III with 20 doubles, using her speed and hustle to stretch single after single into extra bases. In all, Gomes hit .470 for her career and ranks second in career on-base percentage and third in slugging
Beyond individual accolades, Gomes was an integral driver of one of the program's signature team achievements: winning the first-ever University Athletic Association (UAA) Softball Championship. The team traveled to Cocoa Beach, Florida, for a series of games against NYU and Chicago. Gomes and the Judges had a pair of one-run wins over the Maroons to capture the league title.

"It was my very first trip to Florida," Gomes recalled. "Being with the team, being able to play a little softball, it was a great experience."

The drive Gomes displayed on the softball field carried over directly into her career after Brandeis. Following graduation, she worked in campus security and law enforcement at Framingham State and MIT. Encouraged by a fellow officer who recognized her sharp intellect, Gomes set her sights on law school.

Balancing a demanding work schedule, she worked the 7-3 day shift as an MIT police officer, often studying legal textbooks while stationed on detail guarding a nuclear reactor, while attending law school classes four nights a week from 6 to 10 p.m. She earned her JD in just three and a half years.

In 2006, Gomes launched a career as an independent court-appointed criminal defense attorney in Dorchester, serving as a tireless advocate for underrepresented clients before founding her own successful family law practice.

Nominated years prior by her late coach Mary Sullivan, Gomes' induction stands as a testament to the enduring impact of her collegiate accomplishments—not only as a record-setting athlete, but as a trailblazing multiracial alumna and advocate.

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