MARLBOROUGH, Mass.—Recent Babson College women's tennis graduate Olivia Soffer '25 was among four honored when the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) announced its Student-Athletes of the Year on Thursday.

Soffer was one of two females recognized along with MIT women's soccer standout Natalie Barnouw. The NEWMAC Student-Athlete of the Year award focuses on the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership, and is selected by the league's awards committee. Soffer is one of two NEWMAC nominees for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award and is eligible for the Division III Commissioners Association Student-Athlete of the Year Award. 

Soffer joins field hockey standout Brianne McGrath '23 MSF '24 in being selected as a winner of the NEWMAC Athlete of the Year award, which was started in 2022. She also becomes one of just three Babson NCAA Woman of the Year nominees along with McGrath and former field hockey standout Colleen Kelly '11, who was among the Top 30 honorees in 2011. 

"I am thrilled that Olivia has been selected as a NEWMAC Athlete of the Year recipient," said Pamela P. and Brian M. Barefoot Associate Vice President for Athletics and Athletics Advancement Mike Lynch. "The success she enjoyed throughout her career is a testament to her drive and work ethic. Olivia has been a great representative of both the College and our athletics department, and there is no one more deserving of this honor than her."

Soffer, who leaves Babson as one of the top tennis players in Division III history, concluded her career by winning a second consecutive NCAA national championship in doubles alongside junior Matia Cristiani on May 27. They defeated the top-ranked duo of Sahana Raman and Nina Farhat of Middlebury, 6-2, 6-2, in the final for their 17th consecutive victory, finishing the year at 26-2 overall. 

Soffer and Cristiani, who also were the NCAA doubles runners-up in 2023, became the first players to reach the championship match in three consecutive seasons since 2014 and the first back-to-back national champions since 2016. Additionally, she earned a spot at the NCAA Singles Championship for the fourth year in a row, where she advanced to the second round. 

In addition to her success in doubles, Soffer went 27-5 in singles and concluded the year ranked fourth in Division III by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). She was tabbed as both the ITA Northeast Region and ITA Division III Senior Player of the Year, becoming the first from Babson to win both awards. Soffer also became the first Babson athlete to be selected as the women's tennis finalist for the prestigious Honda Athlete of the Year award in June. 

"Olivia set the kind of example every coach hopes for," commented women's tennis head coach Emma Hall. "Her work ethic and competitive nature inspired everyone around her and pushed the team to be better every single day. She led by example in everything she did, whether it was in practice, in matches, or in how she carried herself off the court. 

"Olivia leaves behind a legacy of excellence, leadership, and belief—one that will continue to shape our program for years to come."

A four-time ITA All-America selection in singles and a three-time All-America honoree in doubles, Soffer ranks first in Babson history with 99 singles wins, 97 doubles victories and 196 career wins. She set a single-season record by going 31-2 on the way to advancing to the NCAA singles final in 2023 and paired with Cristiani to win 32 times on the way to capturing the Beavers' first doubles national title in 2024. 

The four-time New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Player of the Year, Soffer earned all-league honors in both singles and doubles in each of her four seasons. She also captured the program's first ITA New England Championships singles title in 2022 and the Beavers' first doubles crown alongside Cristiani in 2023. 

Additionally, Soffer was the first player in Babson history to earn a spot in the NCAA singles championship and the ITA Cup. She also helped the Beavers make two NCAA appearances as a team, which included advancing to their first regional final in 2023.