Keeping Score: A Look at Babson Athletics’ Success by the Numbers

The world of sports thrives on numbers—wins and losses, points and goals, times and distances, and all manner of statistical minutiae. It’s how to keep score and identify champions. 

For Babson Athletics, the numbers over the past decade illustrate a rousing success, both in the fields of play and in the classroom and beyond. The championship pedigree includes team and individual national titles and a prominent presence atop the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). 

Babson recently won its third consecutive NEWMAC Men’s Presidents Cup, an all-sports award presented to the top overall men’s and women’s programs in the conference, and the women placed second, just behind MIT. 

In the past year alone, Olivia Soffer ’25 and Matia Cristiani ’26 won their second consecutive national championship in women’s tennis doubles, and the men’s soccer and men’s tennis teams both advanced to the Elite Eight in their respective NCAA Division III national tournaments. 

BABSON MAGAZINE: What It Means to Be a Student-Athlete at Babson 

“Olivia and Matia’s back-to-back title capped off another great year for our program,” said Mike Lynch, Babson College Pamela P. and Brian M. Barefoot Associate Vice President for Athletics and Athletics Advancement. “This past year continues the momentum our coaches and student-athletes have been cultivating for some time now. 

“At Babson, we are driven by a greatness agenda. Our No. 2 ranking in The Wall Street Journal sets a high bar, and we in Athletics are committed to meeting and exceeding these expectations,” Lynch added. “Our institution’s goal is to be the best in every aspect, including athletics. With strategic investments from our leadership, generous support from our donors, and the unwavering dedication of our coaches, staff, and student-athletes, we strive to maximize every opportunity. I am incredibly proud of all we have achieved together and look forward to continued success.” 

Babson President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD expressed the College’s pride for the athletic and academic achievements last month when the men won the NEWMAC Presidents Cup. “At Babson, we are proud of our committed student-athletes and the many contributions they make to our campus community on the playing field and in the classroom,” he said. “Each member of our athletics program—from our passionate student-athletes to our dedicated training staff and coaches—plays an important role in upholding and advancing Babson’s reputation across the country and around the world. I am thankful for their leadership and the example they set for student-athletes everywhere.” 

Here is a look at Babson Athletics’ success—from participation to athletics and academic excellence—over the past decade: 

Participation 

Babson Athletics expanded to 23 varsity programs (12 women, 11 men) with the addition of women’s golf in 2023, and student-athletes comprise about one-sixth of the undergraduate student population. 

538 — Varsity student-athletes from 30 states and eight countries  

124 — Varsity student-athletes incoming in the Class of 2029, 77% of supported student-athletes were admitted in Early Decision 1 

38 — Graduate student-athletes (2024–2025), a 34% increase since 2020 

Athletics Excellence 

(Totals since 2015–2016) 

1 — Team national championship. The 2017 men’s basketball team won the NCAA Division III national title. Powered by Joey Flannery ’17 (two-time National Association of Basketball Coaches Division III Player of the Year) and coached by Stephen Brennan (National Coach of the Year Award), the Beavers went 31-2 and defeated Augustana (Ill.), 79-78, in the championship game. 

2 — Individual national championships. Soffer and Cristiani won back-to-back doubles national titles. The dynamic duo became the first women athletes to win a national championship in school history in 2024, defeating Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in three sets in the final, then returned to defend their title in 2025, defeating Middlebury in straight sets in the final. 

2 — National Players of the Year (Jamie Murray won the Sid Watson Award as the Division III player of the year in men’s hockey in 2016, and Flannery won National Association of Basketball Coaches Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017 and the D3hoops.com Player of the Year in 2017)  

3 — NCAA Final Fours (men’s basketball, 2017; and field hockey, 2016, 2023) 

11 — NCAA Elite Eights (baseball, 2019; men’s basketball, 2017; women’s basketball, 2023; field hockey, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2023; men’s ice hockey, 2022; men’s soccer, 2024; men’s tennis, 2025; and women’s volleyball, 2018) 

22 — Individual event conference championships 

24 — NCAA Sweet 16s 

34 — Team conference championships 

89 — National tournament appearances 

182 — All-America Awards 

Academics Excellence 

589 — Academic all-conference and 87 academic all-district student-athletes since 2020 (3.5+ GPA) 

98.5% — Percentage of student-athletes employed full-time (83.1%) or continuing education in graduate school (15.4)

96% — Four-year graduation rate, topping both the general student population (92%) and the national average (71%)

7 — Academic All-Americans since 2014, including Brady Anderson ’25 (men’s tennis, 2025), Eric Bottern ’24 (men’s track & field, 2024), Claire Middlebrook MSF ’24 (women’s soccer, 2023), MacIntyre Henderson ’20 (men’s alpine ski, 2020), Sean Harrington ’20 (baseball, 2020), Maya Lacy ’16 (softball, 2016), and Justin Laurenzo ’14 (men’s soccer, 2014).  

Leadership Excellence 

90%+ — Percentage of student-athletes involved in co-curricular experiences, including club leadership 

12% — Percentage of the Babson community leadership team annually that are student-athletes (resident assistants, Peer Mentors, Peers on Wellness, career ambassadors, Foundations of Management and Entrepreneurship Mentors) 

11% — Percentage of student-athletes who participate in fraternity and sorority life 

Fundraising 

$29,909,471 — Total Athletics giving between 2017 and 2024, an increase of 986% compared with 2010–2016 

$6 million — Total recent endowed commitments (read more about the Boxer-Rice Head Men’s Ice Hockey Coach) 

3,105 — Donors to the 2025 Barefoot Athletics Challenge, raising $472,657. The Barefoot Athletics Challenge, initially funded by former Babson President and student-athlete Brian Barefoot ’66, H’09, P’01, provides support to the program and individual teams. 

49% — Percent increase in fundraising and gifts from 2018 to 2024 

Recreation 

48 — Intramural teams with 830 students involved 

29 — Club sports teams, including about 2,000 students involved 

Photo credits: Jon Endow P’17 (men’s soccer and softball), Barry Millman (men’s tennis and field hockey), CMS Athletics (women’s tennis), and Ella Travaglino (men’s lacrosse)

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Tagged Athletics, Class of 2025, Class of 2026

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