This year Brandeis Athletics welcomed six alumni to the Brandeis Hall of Fame, ranging from the graduating class of 1974 to 2009. The sports represented were men’s track and field and cross country, women’s track and field and cross country, men’s soccer, women’s fencing, volleyball and the category of contributor. 

The first alumnae inducted was Harold Small ’74. During his tenure at Brandeis, Small competed for the men’s track and field and cross country team. Small is a three time All-American in the 880-yard run and two-mile relay. Additionally, Small had a “third-place finish as a junior in the pre-Division III era, while helping the cross country team to 24-straight tri-meet wins.” Small competed on the team under Norm Levine, the “most successful coach in Brandeis history,” and was one of the first members on Levine’s team to achieve All-American honors. 

Small graduated from Brandeis Magna Cum Laude with honors, earning degrees in both American history and African and Afro-American studies. Small also completed the education program. Before he retired, Small worked at Chemical Bank in multiple positions and in schools as a social studies teacher, consultant and trainer. Since his retirement in 2018 he has volunteered with CentsAbility, “a non-profit organization that promotes financial literacy for children in school and community groups in New York.”

The second alumnae inducted was Jessica Bergman ’91, the current president of Friends of Brandeis Athletics, which “works to promote general engagement from the Brandeis athletics alumni community.” Since becoming the FOBA president in 2014, Bergman’s leadership has helped “usher in the current era of Hall of Fame and Homecoming success.” As a Judge, Bergman was “a three-time starter for the basketball team” and “averaged eight to five rebounds per game.” She was also on the softball and women’s track and field teams for a period of her Brandeis tenure. Bergman was inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame to recognize her work as president of FOBA. Bergman will be stepping down as FOBA president at the end of the 2024 - 2025 school year after over a decade of serving the Brandeis Athletics community. 

The third alumnae inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame was Christopher White ‘97. White played on the Brandeis men’s soccer team from 1993 - 1996 as a defensive stalwart. He “anchored the back line for four years as the Judges posted at least 12 wins each year for an overall record of 54-22-7,” including “23 shutouts and another 29 games with only one goal allowed.” During White’s time on the team, the Brandeis men’s soccer team “made three-straight Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament” which included a “title run in 1994 with three-straight road wins.” White was the senior captain during 1996 and “earned first-team All-UAA [University Athletic Association] and third-team All-American honors” due to the Judges allowing no more than two goals in a game and outsourcing opponents, 56-18. White also served as Brandeis’ equipment manager after graduation before leaving to begin his teaching occupation. 

The fourth alumnae inducted was Cheryl Makarewicz ‘99, a member of the women’s track and field and cross country team. Makarewicz  is an “11-time All-American in the 800-meter run and [as a] part of [the] 4x400-meter relay [team],” and she was the “national runner-up indoors in the 800m as a senior.” Also during her time at Brandeis, Makarewicz played flute in Wind Ensemble and participated in archaeological digs. She graduated Cum Laude with highest honors in anthropology and a minor in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. 

The fifth alumnae inducted was Tracy Marien ‘03, who was a member of both the volleyball and women’s fencing teams. During her time on the volleyball team she led the team to “two ECAC [Eastern College Athletic Conference] tournaments as a defensive specialist.” Additionally, on the fencing team Marien earned All-American honors in sabre. She earned Academic All-American honors in both sports. 

The sixth and final alumnae inducted into the 2024 Brandeis Hall of Fame was Will Friedman ‘09, a member of the men’s fencing team. Friedman is the “most recent Brandeis men’s fencer to qualify for the NCAA [National Collegiate Athletics Association] Championships,” and he did so for “four years running.” Friedman also “earned All-American honors in foil during his junior year after placing seventh.” Friedman graduated Magna Cum Laude with his degree in philosophy. He then completed a law degree at George Washington University. Currently, he is working as an attorney specializing in energy law.  

The Brandeis Athletics community celebrated the inductees with a touching ceremony, where current members of Brandeis sports teams introduced the new Hall of Famers, providing a full circle moment for all the alumni.