Best of Tufts Athletics

Tufts athletics owes its existence to hundreds of athletes and coaches, each of whom leaves a mark on the school. Each year, however, the Daily recognizes a number of these athletes who exceeded every expectation and made their presence known to opposing teams week after week. These athletes represent some of the very best Tufts has ever seen.

Co-Men's Athlete of the Year: Chance Brady, Football, Running Back

Graduating senior tri-captain running back Chance Brady broke just about every record he could in his final season in the brown and blue. No player in program history has ever scored more touchdowns (35) or rushed for more yards (2,692). The Haverhill, Mass. native also set conference-wide single-season highs for rushing touchdowns (17) and points scored (114). On account of his monumental successes, Brady was unanimously named the New England Football Writers Association’s Division II-III Gold Helmet Award winner. He was also awarded NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year honors for the second consecutive season.



Graduating senior cross country runner Tim Nichols poses for a photo at Ellis Oval on May 11. (Ray Bernoff / The Tufts Daily)Co-Men's Athlete of the Year: Tim Nichols, Men's Track and Men's Cross Country

Graduating senior Tim Nichols is just one in a long line of dominant runners for Tufts men’s cross country and track teams. He has put up a myriad of impressive performances in his time on the hill, including four All-American performances, two of which were added this year. Nichols finished third at Nationals during the cross country season and claimed the title in the 5,000-meters at the Track and Field Indoor Championships with a time of 14:25.08, an event for which he also holds the Tufts record.

Women's Athlete of the Year: Michela North, Women's Basketball, Forward/Center

Not much has been left unsaid about graduating senior Michela North’s stellar career as a Jumbo. One of those finer moments came with 4:34 to play in the first half against Bates on Jan. 28, as she stepped up to the free throw line to break Colleen Hart’s (E '11) scoring record.North also graduates as the program’s leading rebounder with 1,071.She finishes her Tufts career as one of the winningest Tufts players with a record of 118-13,having made the All-NESCAC First Team in her final two years as a Jumbo.

This year, North led the NESCAC with 186 defensive rebounds and was fourth with 67 offensive rebounds for a total of conference-leading 253 rebounds.She was second in blocks (53) and third in points scored (370) for the Jumbos.Her 49.0 percentage for field goals ranks first on the team and fifth in the NESCAC.

Men's Rookie of the Year: Greg Holt, Football, Linebacker

In his first season at Tufts, linebacker Greg Holt wasted no time establishing himself as one of the elite players at his position in the NESCAC. Despite not even starting the first two games of the season,the rising sophomore from Temecula, Calif. led the conference in total tackles (98) and ranked third in solo tackles (48). For his important role in helping the Jumbos rank second in the conference with a 7-1 record, Holt was named to the All-NESCAC First-Team Defense and earned NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors.

Women's Rookie of the Year: Kelly Klimo, Volleyball, Libero

Rising sophomore libero Kelly Klimo burst onto the scene in her first year on the Tufts volleyball team, quickly earning herself a spot in the starting rotation. Klimo, who hails from North Canton, Ohio, established herself right off the bat by leading the team in digsand aces in her first match, a win against Clark University (24-9). Klimo continued to impress all season, leading the team in digs (508) by a wide margin to go along with the third-most service aces (36). Her strong play throughout the season culminated in a selection to the All-NESCAC Second Team, just one of two players on the Tufts team to receive an all-conference honor and one of just three first-years in the entire conference to be named to an all-conference team.

Men’s Coach of the Year: Josh Shapiro, Men's Soccer

In his seventh year at the helm of the men's soccer team, Josh Shapiro has taken the team to the greatest stage not once, but twice. His 2014 team claimed the first national title in program history after going undefeated (7-0-3) in the NESCAC, and setting a program record for wins with 16. While the Jumbos could not defend their title in 2015, the 2016 season brought new challenges. The Jumbos failed to dominate the regular season but proved in the postseason that they were a force to be reckoned with. As one of the dark horses entering the NCAA tournament, Tufts won six straight tournament games, culminating in a double-overtime 1-0 win over Calvin to claim the title of National Champions for the second time in three years.

Women’s Coach of the Year: Tina McDavitt Mattera, Field Hockey

Tina McDavitt Mattera is no stranger to success. Her 2012 field hockey team was the first women's team in Tufts history to be crowned national champions. In her 13th season as head coach of the program, Mattera narrowly missed earning her second NCAA title back in November after leading the program to its third national championship game appearance under her tenure. Despite the tough final loss, under Mattera’s leadership, the team still put together an impressive 19-3 season and earned the program’s second NESCAC title to bring their coach’s overall record to 181-53. Mattera was also named the Front Rush/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Collegiate Regional Coach of the Year for the New England West Region. The impressive tournament run in November marked the seventh NCAA Tournament appearance for the Jumbos under Mattera, and Tufts appears poised to remain a top-10 team this fall.