Athletics Donor Report FY2023 J U LY 1, 2022 – J U N E 30 , 2 0 2 3
INVESTING IN THE STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE
DEAR BABSON FRIENDS AND FANS, We have so much to be proud of this year! This was our most successful year as a member of the NEWMAC conference, as we brought home our first-ever President’s Cup for overall performance in men’s sports and placed second in women’s. 12 of our now 23 varsity teams competed in their national championship tournaments, and five won conference titles. It has been a thrill to see everything our student-athletes, coaches, and staff have accomplished. And campus-wide, we are celebrating Babson’s historic milestone in our Centennial Campaign—achieving our $500 million goal ahead of schedule. The campaign has been transforming so many parts of the College, and Athletics is no exception. Supporters like you have made game-changing investments in every aspect of our program. From facilities to coaches to new resources on and off the playing surface, we have been making Babson a much more competitive program across all disciplines than it was even just five years ago—and the results are speaking for themselves. Thanks to your investment, we have the resources we need to recruit, compete on a national level, and offer a rewarding experience for our student-athletes. I am excited to see what we can continue to build, with friends like you on our team. Go Babo! With sincere appreciation,
Mike Lynch PAMELA P. AND BRIAN M. BAREFOOT ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR ATHLETICS AND ATHLETICS ADVANCEMENT
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YOUR IMPACT IN NUMBERS more than
3,100 DONORS committed
$13.4 MILLION total
Facilities investments of $10.02 million benefit our entire campus, from baseball field renovations to community-wide resources in the Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex. More than $1 million has been committed to our Women’s Empowerment Fund, ensuring resources for our female student-athletes for years to come. $2.2 million to our varsity teams and clubs sets them up for success with coaching, travel, and equipment funding.
Barefoot Athletics Challenge Our 10th Year Established by former Babson President Brian Barefoot ’66, H’09, P’01 and Pamela Barefoot P’01, the annual Barefoot Athletics Challenge encourages alumni, parents, and fans to support Babson’s athletics program and student-athletes.
1,709 donors
“We’ve got nearly 60 years of lacrosse teams that have played at Babo. Our guys know they’re playing for something bigger than themselves. The support we have from all of those alums, and from families and friends, has been immense…and quite frankly, we wouldn’t be having the success we are without this support. ONCE A BEAVER, ALWAYS A BEAVER! GO BABO!!!” Rocky Batty HEAD COACH, MEN’S LACROSSE
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$241,690 raised
Top Teams: DOLLARS RAISED 1. Men’s Ice Hockey (2023 Challenge Winners) 2. Men’s Lacrosse 3. Swimming & Diving PARTICIPATION 1. Men’s Tennis 2. Men’s Golf 3. Field Hockey
Innovators in the Classroom
80
1
CSC Academic All-American
Honorees Academic All-Conference
3.21
Average Student-Athlete GPA
3.41
Average Senior Student-Athlete GPA
Top Four Team Grade Point Averages Men’s Tennis
Men’s Golf
Softball
Women’s Soccer
3.52 GPA
3.35 GPA
3.35 GPA
3.35 GPA
“We are fortunate and thankful to have incredibly loyal and generous donors to our hockey program. Their support allows our student-athletes’ experience to be among the best in NCAA DIII athletics. “Our trips to Milwaukee School of Engineering and Lake Forest College in October are not a reality without their continuing passion for Babson Hockey.” Jamie Rice HEAD COACH, ICE HOCKEY
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Men’s Cross Country National Qualifier: Anthony Rodriguez
NEWMAC Conference President’s Cup Winner, Men’s Overall Division; 2nd Place, Women’s Overall Division
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varsity teams made their national tournaments
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WINTER
FALL
SUCCESS ON THE NATIONAL STAGE
Men’s Alpine Ski USCSA Eighth Place Finish
Field Hockey National Quarterfinal
Women’s Alpine Ski USCSA Sixth Place Finish
Men’s Soccer NCAA First Round
Men’s Basketball NCAA First Round
Women’s Volleyball NCAA Second Round
Women’s Basketball National Quarterfinal
SPRING Men’s Lacrosse NCAA Third Round
Women’s Tennis NCAA Second Round; Individuals: • Olivia Soffer, Singles
Women’s Lacrosse NCAA Second Round
& Doubles National Runner-Up • Matia Cristiani, Singles Second Round, National Doubles Runner-Up
CLUB SPORTS
Men’s Track & Field National Qualifier: Eric Bottern
Men’s Polo Division II National Intercollegiate Championship Winner
Men’s Rugby NCR Small College National 7s Championship Winner; Reed Santos, Tournament MVP BABSON COLLEGE 5
A TRANSFORMATIONAL FACILITIES INVESTMENT
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Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex
ince it opened in 2019, Babson’s stateof-the-art athletics facility has made a tremendous impact on our entire community. From health and exercise resources that everyone on campus can take advantage of, to dedicated training spaces for varsity teams, it remains the largest single capital investment in student and campus life in the College’s history. And today, it has even more resources to thrive long into the future. In September 2022, hundreds of Babson community members gathered to celebrate the generosity of longtime Professor of Entrepreneurship Len Green, who made a transformative gift to rename the Len Green Recreation and Athletics Complex. His investment underscores the importance of this facility to the entire Babson experience, and ensures its continued impact for generations to come.
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“This is a place where the students who are fortunate enough to get in here can maximize the value of being at a first-class institution. And they can do all kinds of different things in that athletic center, which is really important, because then they can concentrate the rest of the time with a clear mind. That’s really what I’m doing it for.” Len Green PROFESSOR OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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OUR NEWEST TEAM – VARSITY WOMEN’S GOLF
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abson’s roster of varsity teams has increased to 23 with the establishment of Women’s Golf this past year. With young women representing the fastest-growing sector in U.S. golf in recent years, this will be a valuable opportunity to meet increased demand. Thanks to the top-level training resources that have helped our men’s team become No. 1 in New England, head coach Jeff Page is confident in this new team’s opportunities for success as well. “This really is a perfect fit for Babson. Many women in the business world are taking up golf, and I think it’s going to grow nicely here. I have five first-year students coming in, and I’m very optimistic. I know we’re going to have a good team in a few years, but I also think we’re going to have a good team coming right out of the gate.” Stay tuned for updates on our first competition year!
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“Our alumni are critical to continue the great tradition and culture built over decades. Both their presence at games and soccer alumni events, and their donations keep that going. Their funding enables us to hold postgame receptions, end-of-the-year team banquets, travel for out-of-region games, international team travel, and any other needs we may have that are not funded by our budget.” Jon Anderson HEAD COACH, MEN’S SOCCER
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“The continued generosity of our alumni and friends of the program has truly allowed us to elevate to the next level. Our resources have allowed out-of-region overnight trips, updated player equipment, locker room upgrades, team building training, as well as funding for our goalkeeping coach. We cannot thank all of our supporters enough for providing the resources to position us in a place for continued success.” Julie Ryan HEAD COACH, FIELD HOCKEY
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MEETING STUDENTS’ EVOLVING NEEDS
INTRODUCING KENDALL ELDER
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nvesting in our student-athletes takes many forms and has reached far beyond the playing surface. Thanks to a NCAA Strategic Alliance Matching Grant and the many donors who have helped us increase our operating budget, we have hired Kendall Elder this year for the new role of Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Success. In his own words, “This role encompasses everything athleticsrelated besides being an athlete.” Kendall offers mentorship and career development support, organizes programs, and serves as a liaison who can bring student-athletes’ needs—particularly those of minority and under-represented groups—to leadership. “It’s a growing position within athletics administration,” he describes. “Because the needs of the student-athlete are changing. You’ve been seeing the development of more resources like nutrition and mental health, especially since Covid. When I was playing college sports, there wasn’t somebody to talk to about issues outside of playing time or skill on the field. But as needs change, the positions we have in the industry begin to change too.”
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Looking back on his early months here, Kendall has gotten to know many of our students through one-on-one sessions and working with the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC). His first impression: “These really are young professionals. They’re the leaders we need them to be. That’s what makes Babson student-athletes unique. And they work so much harder because of the academic side. When it’s time to fight for a position on the field, fighting is nothing to them. They’re used to it. They do it in the classroom, and now they’re going to do it on the field.” The motivation of our students has also underscored why positions like Kendall’s are increasingly important at colleges like Babson moving forward. “We strive to be the best Division III school we can be, but we also have these students who are striving to be the best entrepreneurs in the world. They are so goal-driven and so focused, and I don’t want them to put themselves on the backburner. Especially in the role I’m in, it’s not just about the athlete, or just about the student. It’s more holistic than that—it’s about the person, and being there for them. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do that.”
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MEETING STUDENTS’ EVOLVING NEEDS
NEW RESOURCES FOR A WINNING MINDSET
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Photo: Matt Modoono, Northeastern University
ports psychology is a field that has existed for years but is now being utilized in new ways in collegiate athletics—and Babson is leading the way for Division III. Dr. Grayson Kimball originally started working with our student-athletes in the late 2010s, leading team-based mental training workshops. Then in 2022, he began piloting “open office hours” for individual student appointments, and it quickly became clear that demand was high. His personalized, one-on-one sessions have now become a resource that growing numbers of students—and even some coaches—are taking advantage of regularly. The mental performance coaching that Grayson offers in these appointments takes many forms depending on the session. But the goal remains the same: helping our student-athletes develop effective cognitive strategies for any situation – from overcoming challenges to maintaining success. Engaging in skills that are difficult to incorporate into a standard team practice—but are important for improving performance—has
made this a valuable opportunity for Babson’s student-athletes. The confidentiality of Grayson’s sessions has also been critical: “I’ve had a number of athletes say something as simple as ‘wow, this really helped…I can’t talk to my coach or teammates about this, because I don’t want to look weak in front of them.’ They need someone who’s a neutral party.” In short, students can feel more comfortable discussing their mindset without worrying that it will impact their position on the team. While mental coaching has grown into a standard training feature in most professional athletics and more recently in larger Division I and II schools, it remains less common in smaller Division III programs. With that in mind, Grayson is encouraged by Babson’s willingness to embrace it. “Babson is at the forefront of utilizing these services,” he explains. “For any school, any athletics department, the easy thing to do is to stay in your comfort zone. But Babson was on board to try this and see where it went. I think Babson has far more of a growth mindset to try something that a lot of schools around here still aren’t doing.”
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COACHING SPOTLIGHT
JUDY BLINSTRUB AND THE EVOLUTION OF BABSON ATHLETICS
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n 1984, Judy Blinstrub came to Babson as the head coach of Women’s Basketball and Soccer. 39 years later, she is retiring from one of the most successful careers in Division III history. She experienced the program’s development firsthand throughout her tenure, as her role evolved to focusing on Women’s Basketball as well as rising to Senior Associate Athletics Director and overseeing our entire women’s program amid dramatic growth. Today, she reflects on what the program has become thanks to our supporters. NEW RESOURCES “There are a lot of different resources that have an impact, and we don’t get them without people supporting us. Strength and conditioning expansion, sports psychology expansion, mental health, having a nutritionist on campus—all these things influence how a student-athlete performs. They weren’t always available, but now we have them. Also, donors have given us money to expand our travel—this past year, we were able to travel to Florida for a special tournament with the top women’s basketball teams from Indiana and Iowa, and so we had some different competition that got us the experience we needed
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to compete at the next level, when we made the NCAA tournament. And nutrition-wise, it’s a huge impact to actually have enough meal money to make sure we’re eating properly when we’re on the road.” GROWING STAFF “I’ve seen a lot of expansion—head coaches who were part-time before, or people like me who used to coach two sports and now just focus on one. In women’s basketball, the funding of a parttime assistant coach has been huge. And because of our increased resources, we have more administration (covering work that used to be our second job). Coaches still have second duties, but not to the same extent anymore. So that expansion has helped us focus on our main purpose—the students.” RESOURCES AND SUCCESS FOR EVERYONE “Across the board, our success is more consistent today. We’ve all had good years before, but now, every team is up there regularly. And things like the Women’s Empowerment Fund have helped even
things out. Obviously more of Babson’s history is within the men’s sports, being an all-male college originally, so for a while those programs had more alumni donors. When I was first here it was only 18% female. And we’re at 50% now. Getting more resources into the women’s side has made a tremendous impact on the success we can achieve.” RECRUITMENT – A POSITIVE CYCLE “Because of all these increases, we can recruit more athletes, and they’re getting trained at the highest level you can ask for. It helps that business has become the degree that more people want, especially after Covid. Because if you want to play Division III, you look at the college first. We recruit in a huge college area; there are so many great schools in New England alone. So we’re competing against the best of the best. And I think we’re right up there now with that competition, both athletically and academically. Another huge selling point for our athletic program is our alumni network. The connections and relationships our student-athletes develop extend past graduation and inspire them to give back—not only through donations, but also through mentoring, internships, and career opportunities. This has built such a great community. So today we have a bigger roster, and this has had a major impact on competing at a higher level. All these things have developed over the years, but even more so now. We owe a lot to the people who have supported us.”
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“This fall, we had the opportunity to start the season with a tournament in southern California where we played 4 teams from the top league on the west coast, including the #1 ranked team in the country. This incredible experience of going 3-1 against superb-level play, and the bonding the team did on the trip, really set us up for success this season. We could never have done this without the generous support of our alumni, friends, and family.” Eric Neely HEAD COACH, VOLLEYBALL
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STUDENT-ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
ERIN GRAY ’24 WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
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rin Gray ’24 is part of a volleyball team that is fundamentally more competitive than even just a few years before she came to Babson. “I was recruited from California,” she recalls. “And I’ve been told that there was a point when Babson wasn’t even recruiting. It was just walk-ons. So I feel like that’s added to the competitiveness of our team now—everybody was recruited. Everybody was brought here for a reason. And I feel like that contributes to how strong we are.” During her time here, Erin has seen how the improved athletics resources have made it possible for Babson volleyball to compete at a higher level and rank consistently high in their tournament. And they have enhanced her own experience as well: “I definitely appreciate our training resources. As you get older, you kind of forget that your body can’t do the same things that it did when you first started the sport. So being able to check in with people right then and there if something is tweaked, or having communication with trainers and coaches alike—that’s not what I was used to as an athlete before. And our training facilities, like weightlifting. The fact that we have our own place to work out, and our own training times, and don’t have to worry about the gym being too full, is beneficial for us.”
Erin also appreciates the increased investment in more diversity and inclusion resources, particularly Kendall Elder’s arrival. “That is something that Babson really needed. It feels like they read my mind! That department could do a lot for our athletes of color, and make it a more welcoming place. I know that going somewhere nobody looks like you is a daunting task. I had to have the guts to tell myself, things are going to be different but I’m not willing to lose out on the experience and opportunities at Babson for that. Having someone as a resource will definitely be helpful to other people who have to make the same decision that I did.” In her senior year, Erin is working with Kendall through an internship focused on diversity in Babson Athletics. Since the past year has been more focused on planning and gathering information about what our athletes of color need, she is excited to have opportunities to implement new ideas. “I want to work with him to create things and leave a legacy before I go onto my next chapter. And I definitely feel like it will have impact.”
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STUDENT-ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT
SEAN FITZGERALD ’23 MEN’S GOLF
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s a competitive golfer with an interest in studying business, Babson easily became a frontrunner when Sean Fitzgerald ’23 was making his college plans. “I don’t think there are a lot of schools that offer this high quality a business education alongside being a super competitive Division III golf program. Most of the top Division III golf programs are southern schools who don’t have a business school, or northern NESCAC schools who focus more on liberal arts. So I think that’s a unique thing about Babson—there’s really not a lot of schools like that.” Babson’s golf program had received a significant investment with the opening of the Hintlian Performance Center soon before Sean started college. Both that practice facility and more recent changes thanks to contributed support have shaped his experience throughout his time here. “Having this state-of-the-art golf simulator and putting green—a lot of other Division III schools, especially ones in the Northeast, don’t really have access to something like that. Obviously, New England’s weather is not great over the winter. So it’s really important for us to get in there and be able to practice as much as we need.
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“But also, our schedule has improved so much during my time at Babson. In Division III, golf is down south—a lot of tournaments in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida. And we’ve been really fortunate to be able play in a lot of those top-tier events over the last few years. That’s not something that a lot of other northeast schools do. I think the school has done a great job through raising money to be able to support our travel schedule so we can go down south and gain as much recognition and exposure as we can.” Sean has now graduated, but is staying for another year to complete a Master’s in Finance, and will continue to compete during that time. Already, he has been inspired to see the dedication and continued camaraderie of Babson golf alumni from across the decades. “Golf offers us a unique opportunity to interact with alumni of all ages in a different way than other sports do. It’s nice to see alumni who graduated 30, 40 years ago are still supporting the team, and I know a lot of them still play golf together and keep in touch. So it’s cool to see how that connection lasts a lifetime.”
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Office of Advancement 231 Forest Street, Babson Park, MA 02457 babson.edu/giving / giving@babson.edu 781-239-4800
“Donors have a huge impact on the experience of our student-athletes. As our programs have continued to grow and move up in the national rankings, we have a greater need to play higher level tournaments and travel more often. The overall support and donations from our alumni have helped us to push our tennis programs forward.” Michael Kopelman HEAD COACH, MEN’S AND WOMEN’S TENNIS