Over Brandeis University’s 75 years of existence, many sports have come and gone. While club and intramural sports appear and disappear in accordance with student interest, there are also varsity sports that have either been discontinued from Brandeis Athletics or have been relegated to club or intramural status. These sports include football, lacrosse, golf, and sailing. 

The Brandeis football team existed for nine seasons, from 1951-1959. The team had one very successful season, and a highlight was a game against the University of Bridgeport at which the Brandeis Judges won 33-10. Despite their successes and producing alumni that went on to have professional football careers in the AFL and NFL, the Brandeis football team ceased to exist following 1959. When asked in a March 15 interview with The Justice why the football team was discontinued, Sports Information Director Adam Levin ’94, MS ’21 responded by explaining that the original purpose of the football program was to build the student body but as “the University’s standards and reputation rose; it wasn't necessary to build the student body through athletics, through football specifically. They felt they weren't bringing in the caliber of students they wanted to and felt that the program had kind of run its course I guess,” citing Abram Sachar’s book "A Host at Last."

Although Brandeis’ football team did not exist for long there are a few notable alumni of the program including Mike Long ’60, a two-time inductee into the Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame. Graduating from Brandeis class of 1960, Long played for the Boston Patriots’ inaugural season as their first number 87. In 1970 the Boston Patriots joined the NFL during the AFL/NFL merger and changed their name to the ‘New England Patriots.’ Long was cut halfway through his season with the Boston Patriots and went on to sign with the New York Titans before joining the Marines.

Another notable Brandeis Football alum is Bill McKenna ’55. McKenna was Brandeis University’s first All-American in any sport. During his Brandeis football career, the team was successful with several multi-touchdown games. In an Oct. 23, 2012 interview with BrandeisNOW, following Mckenna’s death, former teammate and fellow Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Richard Bergel ’57 commented that McKenna’s “decision to play at Brandeis and for [coach] Benny Friedman helped put the school on the map.”

During McKenna’s professional football career, the Philly Eagles chose him in the 1955 NFL draft in the seventh round. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League instead. From 1955-63, McKenna played six seasons with the Calgary Stampeders. During his time playing in the Canadian Football League, McKenna set league records including a 104-yard reception in 1955, on a pass from Don Klosterman. Mckenna is one of Brandeis’ most notable athletic alumni. 

While football ended due to a matter of campus prestige, some varsity sports were discontinued due to financial reasons. America was dramatically affected following the 2008 financial crisis. Brandeis University was especially hit hard during this time as many of its prominent donors fell prey to the Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme. The most notable of these donors was the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation, which lost $145 million ­— over half of its total assets. Following this hit to Brandeis donors, many university departments, including athletics, were asked to make budget cuts. The cuts made by athletics included the Brandeis varsity golf team and the Brandeis varsity sailing team. 

Beginning in the early ’60s and ending following their 2009-10 season, the Brandeis varsity golf team existed for almost 50 years. Following the Bernie Madoff Ponzi Scheme in 2008, Brandeis Athletics tried to eliminate the golf team but at first were unsuccessful. The golf team prolonged their discontinuance through passionate and avid fundraising efforts. Through these fundraising efforts, the golf team was able to exist for one more season before being discontinued after the conclusion of their 2009-10 season. 

Notable alumni from the Brandeis golf program include Jason Sobel ’05 and Arron Katzman ’05. Sobel is an award-winning senior golf writer at ESPN and has worked at the company in many other capacities. Katzman is a two-time Emmy Award-winning producer on ESPN’s “College GameDay”. 

Similar to golf, Brandeis University’s varsity sailing team was discontinued following departmental budget cuts. The sailing team was established around the same time as the golf team and was discontinued after their 2008-09 season. The sailing team now exists as a club sport and competes in the New England Intercollegiate Sailing Association. As relayed by Levin, both the varsity golf and sailing teams were cut over other sports as they were performing less successfully.

At one point, Brandeis University also was home to a men's varsity lacrosse team as well as varsity wrestling. The Brandeis lacrosse team existed from the late ’60s to the early ’80s. In a transcript of “Those Were the Days: A look Back at Early Brandeis Athletics,” Levin noted that “lacrosse and wrestling ended because of just a lack of interest and [inability] to maintain rosters that were able to be competitive.” These sports still exist as clubs. Just last semester, in the fall of 2023, the Brandeis Lacrosse Club was founded by Lauren Swartz ’26 and was chartered shortly after. 

Currently, Brandeis Athletics is home to 19 intercollegiate varsity sports that compete in Division 3 of the NCAA.

Editor's note: Justice Editor Elizabeth Liu ’26 is a member of the Brandeis Lacrosse Club and did not contribute to this article.