2020- 2021 Athletics Donor Report

MEETING THE CHALLENGE 2020-2021 Athletics Donor Report

DEAR DONOR,

L

at the 2020-2021 athletics seasons, we have a lot to be grateful for. Although many of our teams didn’t have the chance to play due to the pandemic, donors like you still showed up for us. With your help, we were able to ensure our student-athletes had the support they needed to stay safe and healthy, and we were able to maintain our entire coaching staff during a time when many other institutions were unfortunately unable to do the same.

OOKING BACK

A number of our teams were able to get back in action for the winter and spring seasons, and despite the challenges of this year, they led us to one of our most successful seasons yet. Although our fans couldn’t join us in the stands, we certainly felt your support for our teams.

Your generosity towards Babson Athletics ensures that our student-athletes have the resources they need to thrive in athletics and beyond. Sports are more than just games and competition—they’re a foundation for building community and learning about collaboration, hard work and determination.

Thank you for making this possible for our student-athletes.

With your help, we are ready to get back in the game and start off our fall 2021 season strong. We hope you will join us in cheering our teams on in just a few short weeks.

Grateful for your support,

Mike Lynch PAMELA P. AND BRIAN M. BAREFOOT SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AND ATHLETICS ADVANCEMENT

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FUNDRAISING HIGHLIGHTS

FISCAL YEAR 2021: JULY 1, 2020 TO JUNE 30, 2021

2,819 DONORS raised a total of $1,609,524 in support of Babson Athletics

You helped us raise $466,736 MORE than last year

200 MORE donors gave this year compared to last year

ATHLETICS EXCELLENCE FUND

ATHLETICS WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT FUND

The Athletics Excellence Fund supports our varsity programs, club sports and recreational programming, strengthening Babson Athletics and providing the best possible experience for our student-athletes.

The Women’s Empowerment Fund supports women’s athletics at Babson, elevating our programming and enhancing opportunities for our female athletes.

252 donors raised $133,334 for the Athletics Excellence Fund

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37 donors raised $4,100 for the Athletics Women’s Empowerment Fund

BAREFOOT CHALLENGE Since its inception in 2014, the Barefoot Challenge has raised $1,030,065 from 10,838 donors. These funds have been used for team travel for out of region competitions, educational and leadership programming for student-athletes, specialty equipment and technology, and more.

During the 2021 Barefoot Athletics Challenge, Babson Athletics fans like you helped us top our goal: 1,567 donors raised $200,076 in support of our student-athletes and athletics programs.

SOME BAREFOOT CHALLENGE WINS Women’s Lacrosse: highest participation rate, reaching 264% of their participation goal Women’s Tennis: reached 244% of their participation goal (second highest) Men’s Ice Hockey: highest number of donors at 157 Men’s Baseball: 137 donors (second highest) Women’s Field Hockey: 136 donors (third highest)

Brian Barefoot ’66, H’09, MP’01 attended Babson as an undergraduate and student-athlete, and later served as President of the College from 2001-2008. He and his wife Pamela P. Barefoot MP’01, both avid fans of Babson Athletics, have had an immense impact on our programs and on our studentathletes. They have shown their commitment through steadfast support over the years, particularly by endowing the Pamela P. and Brian M. Barefoot Athletics Director position and through their annual support of the Barefoot Athletics Challenge, which they established to encourage the Babson community to give back. Their example of generosity and dedication inspires our community each year during the Barefoot Challenge, when alumni and friends come together to support our teams.

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BABSON RECREATION AND ATHLETICS COMPLEX (BRAC) BRAC is home to our fitness center, sports medicine suite and various training facilities. It provides our student-athletes, and the entire campus community, with a place to stay healthy and active. This year, BRAC also served as a critical COVID-19 testing site, with more than 62,180 tests of students, faculty and staff members conducted to date at the complex.

23 donors raised $260,625 in support of BRAC 8 donors raised $192,891 in support of the BRAC Endowed Fund

VASSALOTTI GOLF ENDOWMENT

SUPERFANS IN THE STANDS While fans cheered our teams on from home, the stands didn’t remain empty for long. Through our Superfans in the Stands program, Babson students, alumni and parents teamed up to fill the stands with cardboard cutouts to show their support for our student-athletes.

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In honor of former head coach Mike Vassalotti, Babson Athletics created an endowed coaching position in his name to recognize the impact Coach Vass had on our golf team and on the Babson community. This endowment will permanently display Coach Vass’ name on the men’s golf head coach position, while providing permanent funding for the program.

29 donors have committed $107,050 in support of the Vassalotti Golf Endowment.

MARCOS FLEGMANN CHAMPION OF LIFE FUND The Marcos Flegmann Champion of Life Fund was created in honor of Marcos Flegmann ’12, who made an unforgettable impact on his friends and colleagues. The Fund pays tribute to his enthusiasm for the Rugby Club and celebrates his incredible life.

Babson alumni and friends raised $57,084 in Marcos’ honor.

GOVONI BASEBALL FIELD RENOVATION PROJECT With the help of our donors, Babson is renovating Govoni Field to make it one of the finest baseball facilities in all of Division III Athletics. The updated field will include the following features: » 5,000 square foot indoor hitting and baseball performance center featuring 3 batting tunnels and indoor mounds for year round training » New state-of-the-art synthetic playing surface for Govoni Field » Expanded spectator seating area » New dugouts and renovated press box

“ This is the largest, most exciting, and clearly the most impactful initiative in Babson Baseball history that will have phenomenal implications for both the future and legacy of baseball at Babson.”

JOE CAMBI, ‘79

This year, 67 donors raised $179,475 for the Baseball Field Renovation Fund.

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TEAM STATS AND HIGHLIGHTS

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FALL Although we were unable to compete for the fall 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, donors like you still came together to support our teams, ensuring our student athletes had the resources they needed to thrive, and keeping Babson Athletics strong for our return to competition in fall 2021.

CROSS COUNTRY 129 donors raised $20,808 for the Cross Country/Track & Field Fund

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WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY 166 donors raised $24,053

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FALL MEN’S SOCCER 236 donors raised $46,840

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FALL WOMEN’S SOCCER 111 donors raised $20,400

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WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL 91 donors raised $21,005

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WINTER A SEASON TO REMEMBER After unprecedented disruption due to the pandemic, Babson Athletics responded with unprecedented success. Babson’s winter and spring teams combined achieved a 75-14 record—an impressive .843 winning percentage.

ALPINE SKIING 100 donors raised $20,688

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MEN’S BASKETBALL 190 donors raised $72,178

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WINTER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 88 donors raised $17,333

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MEN’S ICE HOCKEY 239 donors raised $123,706

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WINTER SWIMMING & DIVING 180 donors raised $52,404

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SPRING The spring teams—whose seasons were cut short last year—returned to action and achieved possibly the greatest single season in Babson Athletics history, including three historic firsts: » 5 NCAA tournament berths: men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, softball, men’s tennis and women’s tennis » 5 regular-season championships in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC): baseball, men’s lacrosse, softball, men’s tennis and women’s tennis » 4 NEWMAC tournament championships: men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, softball and men’s tennis

MEN’S BASEBALL 220 donors raised $57,683

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“ Baseball, for our team right now, is very important. We go through classes online and we’re not really seeing people face to face—then you get down to the field and see your best friends every day, and you get to play the game that you love. The diamond is a safe space for all of us—we get to have fun, be together and work hard.”

JORDY ALLARD ‘21

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SPRING MEN’S GOLF 37 donors raised $7,257

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MEN’S LACROSSE 178 donors raised $65,264

The men’s lacrosse team advanced to the NEWMAC tournament final after winning a share of the regular-season title.

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SPRING WOMEN’S LACROSSE 121 donors raised $42,997 The women’s lacrosse team won the NEWMAC tournament title and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

“ Right now, I would say lacrosse is one of the most important things in my life. Campus life is a little lonely right now—we’re taking classes online and a lot of us are living alone. Sports are an outlet. Thinking about lacrosse and not what’s going on in the world is such a game-changer. I think we should approach each game like it’s our last and like it’s a championship, because we don’t know what the future is.”

SARA O’CONNOR ‘21

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WOMEN’S SOFTBALL 90 donors raised $20,893

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SPRING MEN’S TENNIS 43 donors raised $29,762

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WOMEN’S TENNIS 68 donors raised $17,887

“With the restrictions due to COVID, tennis has really been our outlet.

Not only being together, but being able to get outside—it’s definitely a break that we all need.

Once we found out that we were able to have a season, we were super excited.”

MARISSA MADISON ‘21

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SPRING TRACK & FIELD 129 donors raised $20,808 for the Cross Country/Track & Field Fund

Katherine Jacobs ’22 (100-meter hurdles) became the second Babson woman to qualify for the NCAA championships. Jacobs was one of three Babson runners, along with Colin Cianciolo ’22 (400-meter dash) and Anthony Rodriguez ’24 (10,000-meter run), to win NEWMAC event titles.

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CLUB SPORTS MEN’S RUGBY

WOMEN’S RUGBY

34 donors raised $3,325

15 donors raised $2,403

MEN’S RUGBY TRAVEL FUND:

13 donors raised $1,025

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CELEBRATING OUR SENIORS While our teams were competing in the playoffs, some of our seniors missed the Class of 2021 commencement. However, our grads still had the chance to don their caps and gowns, and were able to come together to celebrate their time at Babson.

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Office of Advancement 231 Forest Street, Babson Park, MA 02457 babson.edu/giving / giving@babson.edu 781-239-4800