Brandeis University is among many other schools such as Tufts University, Washington University in St. Louis, Amherst College, and over 400 others, that are part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 3, according to the NCAA Website. As a Division 3 school, Brandeis, like the others, follows the belief that “athletics are an integral part of a well-rounded college experience” and that, “the athletic experience allows student-athletes to focus on their academic programs and the ultimate goal of earning a degree.” Some of Brandeis’ alumni are notable athletes, owners, and coaches in the world of professional sports, including Nelson Figueroa, Jeffrey Lurie, and Tim Morehouse. 

A member of the class of 1995, Nelson Figueroa pitched for the Brandeis Baseball team for three years while majoring in American Studies. In the 1995 Major League Baseball draft, he was drafted by the New York Mets in the 30th round. In 2009, Figueroa returned to Brandeis to have his Brandeis number retired and in 2015, Figueroa was inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame, a list that can be found on the Brandeis Athletics website. 

Jeffrey Lurie graduated from The Heller School for Social Policy and Management in 1987, where he earned a doctorate in social policy. Now, Lurie is the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1993, Lurie lost a bidding war to take ownership of the New England Patriots. The following year Lurie bought the Eagles for $195 million.

Timothy (Tim) Frank Morehouse ’00 was recruited by Brandeis for the fencing team. At Brandeis, Morehouse majored in history and went on to receive a masters in teaching at Pace University. In his sophomore year at Brandeis, Morehouse was ranked in the top ten of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I men’s sabre and stayed there during his second two years at Brandeis, surprising many of the universities who never gave him a second glance?  in high school. Morehouse was ranked in the NCAA tenth in 1998, sixth in 1999 and fourth in 2000. As a senior, he was voted by coaches and athletes as NCAA men’s sabre Fencer of the Year, and he led Brandeis to the rank of tenth among all Division I schools in 2000. Morehouse was a silver medalist on the United States fencing team, competing in the men’s sabre division at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and also a member of the 2004 and 2012 Olympic teams, according to TimMorehouse.com. In 2009, Morehouse was inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame. 

These individuals, among many others, have gone onto influential careers in the world of sports after earning a degree from Brandeis.