Brandeis Athlete of the Week, Dec. 2, 2021 - Maggie Shealy, Women's Fencing

TEXT: Brandeis Athlete of the Week, Maggie ShealyIMAGES: Maggie Shealy during a fencing match; Jake n Joes and The Chateau logos

WALTHAM, Mass. – Women’s fencing junior saber fencer Maggie Shealy of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has been named the December 2nd Brandeis Athlete of the Week, presented by The Chateau Restaurant Group. 

Shealy has been nearly unstoppable for the Brandeis women’s fencing team thus far this season, posting a 39-10 record. Through the Judges’ first 17 matches, she has posted a losing record in only one, against 2019 NCAA champions Columbia University. She has gone 3-0 against nine of her opponents, including Division I powerhouses like 2021 NCAA Champions Notre Dame, Harvard, and Stanford. Shealy also earned gold at the 2021 New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Fall Invitational and went 16-2 at the first Northeast Fencing Conference meet of the season. So far, Shealy has been named University Athletic Association Women’s Fencer of the Week three times already this season. 

In head coach Jennie Salmon’s fourth season, the Brandeis women’s fencing team owns a 5-13 overall record, including 5-2 in the NFC. The Judges have been fencing without one of their top performers all season, 2019 All-American Jess Morales, another member of the saber squad. 

The Judges are back in action this weekend when they host the Brandeis Invitational on Sunday, December 5, starting at 9 a.m. Opponents at this meet include Brown, Cornell, Incarnate Word,  MIT, St. John’s, and Yale.   

GET TO KNOW MAGGIE

  • Major/Minor: Politics/Women’s studies

  • Favorite part of competing for Brandeis: The confidence that comes from wearing the "Brandeis" logo lettering on your back and knowing you're representing something bigger than just yourself.

  • Favorite Brandeis Athletics memory: Qualifying for the 2020 NCAA championships, and then getting sent to the hospital because I was severely dehydrated. 

  • Goal for the 2021-22 season: Improve upon my offseason and learn to lead the team.

  • Favorite place on campus outside of Gosman: Club sports field.

  • Something new I learned during COVID-19: How to cook in a restaurant setting.

  • Favorite place to travel: The Azores.

  • Favorite thing to do at Brandeis outside of my sport: rock climbing.

  • My summer experience in 2021: Prep chef at a steakhouse and project manager intern.

  • Favorite professional team: San Francisco 49ers.

This is the sixth year that the Brandeis Athlete of the Week program has been presented by The Chateau Restaurant Group. The Athlete of the Year Program highlights a top Brandeis student-athlete who has had an outstanding athletic achievement from the week prior.  Each selected student-athlete will be featured on the Brandeis athletics homepage and inside the Chateau Waltham and Jake N Joes

Owned and operated by the Nocera Family, the Chateau Restaurant of Waltham opened in 1933 and set the standard for providing the tradition of Italian family dining, friendly service and quality food at reasonable prices for its customers.  Located on 195 School Street, with 900 seats, the Chateau is always ready to accommodate large parties.

The Nocera Family consists of 6 brothers who have always had a passion for playing sports.  In 2010, The Nocera Family launched a new concept, Jake n JOES Sports Grille.  Jake n JOES Waltham opened in 2014 and is the best place to watch a game and enjoy quality food.

"Brandeis student-athletes are fantastic role models in our community,” says Chateau President Joe Nocera, “They exemplify the ideals of excellence and commitment both on and off the playing field. The Chateau Waltham and Jake n JOES Waltham are proud to partner with Brandeis Athletics to continue to enhance a positive focus within the Waltham Community."

Carreiro is a 2019 graduate of East Chapel Hilll High School.

For more information on Brandeis women’s fencing, visit the team’s web page at http://www.brandeisjudges.com/sports/wfencing.

For more information on Brandeis Athletics, visit brandeisjudges.com, or follow @brandeisjudges on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.